Falling Smoke
by Moonstar Kiwi
Summary: The Clans left Smokepaw for dead. He survives his fall but finds himself wishing he didn't, as a new tribe of cats shoves him to two sides of a bloody, mysterious prophecy. When the lines of trust and loyalty blur, what's a bitter, lost apprentice to do?
1. Prologue

_**The following is an exerpt from Dawn, Book 4 off the New Prophecy series. **_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors or the following italicized quote. It was written by Erin Hunter.**

_The cats fell into single file to pick their way along the ledge. _

_"Carry the kits!" Blackstar called down the line, and his yowl echoed eerily off the walls of the gorge._

_The ledge followed the curve of the mountain, sloping up toward a narrow pass between the two peaks. The mountainside echoed with the rattle of stones as the edge of the path crumbled beneath the cats' paws and sent grit showering down into the shadows below. Leafpaw walked as close as she could to the rock face, her heart hammering. She could feel Sorreltail's warm breath behind her._

_Suddenly a wail rang out from up ahead, and a large chunk of rock clattered endlessly down into the abyss. A hole yawned in the narrow path, sending Smokepaw, a ShadowClan apprentice, plummeting into nothingness. For a moment he clutched desperately at the ledge, his claws scratching against the stone. Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy, lunged to grab him, but her extra weight only dislodged more stones, and the edge where Smokepaw clung suddenly dropped away. Russetfur leapt backward, only just managing to save herself. The apprentice fell, twisting violently into the air, and disappeared into the darkness._

_A ShadowClan queen leaned over the precipice. "Smokepaw!"_

_"Get back!" Stormfur yowled. He weaved like a fish back along the ledge and dragged her back._

_As the cats stared in frozen horror, Leafpaw willed StarClan to take the apprentice quickly. Blackstar peered over the edge. "There's nothing we can do," he meowed, straightening up. "We have to keep going."_

_"You're going to leave him?" wailed the queen._

_"He won't have survived that fall," Blackstar told her. "And we can't reach his body." He touched the queen's flank with his muzzle. "I'm sorry, Nightwing."_

Smokepaw landed with a thud on a ledge. He couldn't feel his front right paw, which he'd landed on. He must have broken it. The smoky gray tom gazed painfully up at the hole he'd fallen through, a shower of pebbles landing on his face. He could barely make out a dark head peering over the side, and then it withdrew. After a frozen silence, a few blurs began to hop over the hole he'd created. _Probably the cats who were behind me_, he thought guiltily. He hoped no one else fell through, because it would be his fault.

Soon the blurs stopped crossing above him. No more cats leapt over the gorge, and no more heads peered into the abyss. Shivers racked the apprentice's body, partly from the piercing cold and partly from fear. The Clans had gone on without him, probably taking him for dead. He was alone, stranded on a ledge off the side of a mountain in an ice covered world.

It was alright, though, because he would probably die soon anyway. If not from his broken, battered limbs it would be from hunger. If not hunger, it would be thirst. And if not thirst, it would be loneliness. Smokepaw tried to push these thoughts from his mind, but then realized the pool of blood forming underneath him. Somehow, he'd deeply cut one of his back legs on the way down. _If not from loneliness, it will be blood loss_, he thought bitterly.

He lay still on the icy ledge for a long period of time, or so it seemed. He could barely see the crack of light at the top of the hole, so he really had no sense of time. Shivers of coldness racked his frame as frost began to form on the tips of his smoky fur. The pool of blood had spread out below his body, but he didn't mind. He was too tired to move, and he didn't want to risk further hurting his broken paw. Besides, the blood was warm.

He began to think not about how he was going to die here, but about how lucky he was that he wasn't dead yet. _Yet. _But he had had the luck to have landed on this ledge. Had he missed it, he would have continued tumbling down into the seemingly endless pit. He wondered what was down there, and what he would have landed on. He didn't want to risk peering over the edge in case he fell over, and then he would surely die. But even if he had taken a peak over the ledge, he was too high up to see the landscape below him.

Smokepaw slowly closed his eyes. The pain of the cold and his broken paw left him as his mind left consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, the pain returned to his body like a tidal wave. He looked up, and realized that the crack of light from above had disappeared. _It must be night now, _he thought. _How long have I been asleep?_ It could have been just until night that day, or he could have been asleep for two days. Or a week, or a moon. It was impossible to tell.

Was there no way of getting out alive? Did he really have to just lie still on the icy ledge until he died? The realist part of his mind told him that there was no point in trying to live. The cynical part of him told him just to jump off the edge and get it over with, so he wouldn't have to lie there and suffer. And the optimist in him kept trying vainly to convince him that there was a way out.

But even if he escaped alive, what would he do? The Clans had already left him, and he would still be left alone, said his cynical side. But maybe he could start a life on his own, like a loner, said the optimist in his mind. Or he could just be a realist and lie there and die. That seemed like the easiest option other than throwing himself off the ledge.

_No!_ yelled a voice inside of him, maybe the optimist or the stubborn apprentice. _You can't just give up like a terrified mouse!_

The ShadowClan apprentice heaved a sigh, then cried out in pain. It hurt his shattered rib cage just to have a large intake of breath. He resumed his shallow breathing, careful not to breath in too much at once. He realized that at least two, maybe more of his ribs were broken.

He lay there motionless and unmoving for a while longer. At least he thought it was awhile. He couldn't tell. Any cat who could have seen the broken, battered body lying on top of the blood stained ice would have immediately thought he was dead. He allowed his mind to wander in despair, wondering how much longer he would have to lie there suffering. Maybe he _should _just throw himself off the cliff. He wondered what StarClan was like. It must be pretty nice. All the prey you could ever want, whenever you wanted it, all the water you could ever wish for, and it must be _warm_. Not freezing cold like his blood covered ledge.

But would StarClan be happy with him for just giving up? _I've been through this before!_ he thought angrily. _There's no choice but to give up!_

He didn't know why or how, but somehow the young apprentice worked up the courage to peer over the ledge. He couldn't make out the darkness far below him, but he suspected that the darkness was made up of treetops. _Great_, he thought cynically. _I get to be skewered by tree branches._

He slowly felt the pain that had engulfed his body being numbed, probably by the cold weather and the increasing amount of frost on his fur. As the pain left, his mind cleared, and he realized that not far below him there was another ledge. If he could just get down there... but he couldn't. Not with his broken paw and ribs. And besides, what if he didn't make it onto the ledge? He was dead for sure.

But then he spotted another ledge, below the previous one. And below that was another small ice ledge. They were all perilously tiny, barely large enough to hold his body, and he wasn't sure they'd hold his weight. But he had to try. After all, if he _didn't _try, then he was really dead for sure.

Smokepaw had no idea what he'd do if and when he reached the bottom of the icey mountain face, but all he could do now was try.

---------------

**I'm sorry that was so angsty, but it gets happier. Hehehee, Smokepaw has no idea what he's getting himself into... please, I'm hoping for a few reviews before I continue. See you next chapter!**

**Moonstar**


	2. Owl's Talons

**Wow, I got more reviews than I expected!**

**BlindSeer220: **glad you like it! Everyone, listen to BlindSeer220, and go review my other story!!

**Sleets: **sorry if I kind of stole your idea :D I hope I can make it up to you by making this story really good!****

Snowfeather: hmm, how did this story catch your eye? Was it the title, the summary…? I'm always trying new things…

**Spiritwind of FireClan: **be quiet! Don't you dare give away any part of the story, which by the way, you did on my other story, or I won't tell you about it anymore, buhead!! ****

Nameless Nightmare: thanks for reviewing! Um, there's not much to reply to…

**Greenpool: **did your review get cut off or something? Whatever, I don't care. I just like getting reviews :D****

Speaker of Dragons: Thank you!!! As an author, it feels so awesome to go on someone's faves. I'll make sure the rest of the story doesn't disappoint you!

**Chapter 1**

Smokepaw didn't pause to think about what he was doing. He knew that if he paused for even a split second, he wouldn't be able to do it. So without second thought, the ShadowClan apprentice threw himself off the edge of the ledge.

He felt his claws taking off a chunk of ice as he leapt, trying to avoid using his broken paw. Pain seared through his body as he flew through the air, crawling through his rib cage and the various other wounds all over his body. A trail of blood drops spurted out behind him, some landing on his frost coated fur and others falling into the abyss.

Smokepaw twisted and turned in the air, just as he had on his first fall. Terror enveloped him, and he could smell his own fear as he fell. He was falling fast through the air, and when he painfully moved his head to look down, he could see the ledge approaching fast. It was father down than he had estimated. He braced himself for another bone breaking crash, not sure of what part of his body he preferred to land on.

To his surprise and relief, the particular ledge was covered in a foot of snow. He had no idea of how the snow got there, but he was definitely glad it was. He landed with a plop in the snow, scattering snowflakes all around him, and then crashing into the ice below it. He felt a dull throb in his ribs, since he'd landed on his side. But at least the snow had broken his fall.

Already a pool of blood was forming below him, staining the white snow. The ledge was about twice the size of the young cat's body, and it seemed to be holding his weight. While the snow was eating away at his fur and chilling his nerves, at least it had numbed him. The numbness caused by the cold climate had probably saved him a considerable amount of pain.

That was the good news. But there was bad news too. His paw and ribs were still broken, and he'd probably further damaged them on his second fall. And he was still bleeding from the deep cut in his hind leg. And as he peered over the edge, he realized that he was still quite far away from the ground.

Below his ledge there were many other ledges, maybe five or six. He groaned loudly at the painful thought of reenacting his fall six more times. The groan hurt his ribs, which seemed to burst with the outtake of air.

Well, he had not jumped off his original ledge just to lie there and die on a different one. Now he had to finish what he'd started. The next ledge was far below him, even farther then the last one. It was smaller, too. He didn't know if it would hold his weight, or if he would even survive another fall. _At least I'm still conscious to make these decision_s, he thought optimistically. _I could be unconscious right now. And not just temporarily, _added the cynical part of him.

He had to jump. He knew that he had to leave this comfortable, snow laden ledge if he was to survive. He willed his body to its paws, and looked out over the ledge. The next landing was a _long_ way down. And beyond that ledge… if he missed it… he didn't even want to think about it.

The young apprentice tried to work up the courage to jump. He knew that he should just do it before his mind had any second thoughts. Without hesitation, he leapt off yet another ledge.

He felt a familiar terror envelope his body, his fear scent shrouding the crisp air. His stomach was flipping, his mind was reeling, his numb, frozen body feeling like it was about to explode. His broken paw burned with pain which spread throughout his body as he twisted and turned in the air, surrounded by the blood flying alongside him. The blood would continue falling, down, down, down into the endless dark pit. He tried not to think about that, because he was going there too.

The next ledge was coming up fast, as if it was flying toward him. Smokepaw realized that this must be what a bird felt like when it was suddenly unable to fly. Its wings would lock, and frozen with terror and it would spiral down to earth, where it would meet its demise on the solid ground. Yet there was nothing the helpless bird could do to change its fate, only close its eyes and pray for it to happen fast.

This was exactly how Smokepaw felt as he crashing into the weak ledge. Rather than land with a thud and break yet another bone, the icy ledge shattered beneath him. The apprentice squeezed his eyes shut in fear, and also so that they wouldn't be stabbed by the ice splinted flying around him as he began to fall yet again.

The remainders of the shattered ice ledge surrounded the free falling apprentice, their points dangerously grazing his frost coated fur. His blood stained the icy splinters, giving them the impression of a twoleg weapon. The clear blue-tinged icicles turned a transparent crimson as they spiraled through Smokepaw's body and blood.

The apprentice doubted that he'd ever hit the ground, or even another ledge. Even if he did, he'd be dead in a second. Or so he hoped. He didn't want to lie there and suffer until StarClan finally came for him.

Suddenly something sharp pierced his back. Smokepaw cried out in pain, willing whatever it was to go away, probably an ice shard that had landed in his skin. But a second after the piercing pain came, he stopped falling. For a moment, he felt like he was suspended in midair, and then he was flying.

Was he really flying? Maybe he had died while he was falling, and StarClan was flying him up into the stars. He welcomed the thought. No more numbness, coldness, or pain. He looked up, expecting to see the cats of StarClan pulling him upwards, but what met his eyes forced him to let out yet another shriek.

An owl! And not just any owl. A normal owl wouldn't have been able to hold a cat in its talons. This owl was a giant Great Gray. Smokepaw didn't know how he knew this; maybe it was StarClan trying to educate him so that he didn't die a naïve young apprentice. _Wonderful, _he thought sarcastically. _A lesson from StarClan before I die. Excellent._

He'd already given up optimism, so all that was left in him was realism, pessimism, and bitter sarcasm, a trademark of ShadowClan. The realist part of him said that that he was being carried off by an owl, and would probably be fed to its chicks. Oh well, at least his death would benefit someone. But the pessimist in him said that the owl was just going to drop him, and he would continue on his fall. The sarcastic side of him was still stuck on the strange idea that he was getting his last lesson from StarClan.

Smokepaw didn't bother struggling. After all, where was there to escape to? He much preferred being carried by this giant gray owl than freefalling through the icy air. He hung limply in the bird's curved yellow talons, letting the wind ruffle his frost coated fur. He closed his eyes so the air wouldn't burn his eyeballs.

The owl's talons… he thought of his brother, Talonpaw. He hoped that somewhere out there, Talonpaw was safe. He begged StarClan to let his brother finish the journey he would never experience, and to live a safe life in the new territory.

Smokepaw suddenly saw flashes in his vision. Bright lights, unidentifiable shapes… as the image cleared, he saw a new camp, with all of ShadowClan working to fix it up and make it their own. Carefully placing brambles around the nursery was a small smoky gray tom, his yellow eyes shining in eagerness. Talonpaw! Smokepaw knew that he was seeing the future of ShadowClan, and hoped that it would really come true.

But what he saw next made him pray that his visions were wrong. The same smoky gray apprentice was wandering through the forest happily, searching for prey. His yellow eyes glinted mischievously. Talonpaw knew that he shouldn't be wandering in his new territory on his own, but his adventurous heart and his hungry belly had led him out on a search for prey.

He was over by another twolegplace, different than the old one, but with the same stench of twolegs. How could Talonpaw go anywhere near it after what happened in the old territory?

Out of nowhere, two kittypets appeared in front of Smokepaw's brother. One was a muscular dark gray tom, the other a large tabby she-cat. Talonpaw barely had time to gaze at them in terror before they were on top of him, mercilessly tearing away at his fur.

_Talonpaw!_ Smokepaw screamed mentally. _Run away, Talonpaw!_

But Talonpaw couldn't run away. The burly kittypets had him trapped, pinned beneath the gray tom's claws. Smokepaw watched in horror as they destroyed his brother, unable to tear his terrified gaze away from the scene. When the kittypets finally left, Talonpaw was bleeding badly, but alive.

_Go back to camp!_ Begged Smokepaw, tears forming in his eyes. _Get Littlecloud! Fast!_

Talonpaw tried, he really did. He dragged himself back to the ShadowClan camp, where he collapsed at the entrance. Smokepaw saw through his brother's eyes what death was like. Darkness ate at the corners of his vision, and he barely noticed cats leaning over him and trying to keep him alive.

Was he really looking through Talonpaw's eyes? No, he was still seeing through his own, but the darkness was the same. His vision faded, and the world began to spin… and then it all turned black.

**I know, still very angsty. I didn't mean it to be that way, but it just is. I hope it's not scaring anyone away. I promise, there is a storyline to this besides just Smokepaw falling and dying. You just haven't gotten there yet. So keep reading!**

**Moonstar**


	3. Water and Ice

**Alright reviewers, keep up the good work! I'm very happy with the number of reviews this story has recieved so far. And now, to respond to all you totally cool and awesome reviewers. And by the way, if you don't want me to respond to you or put your name into the story, that's OK, just say so in your review.**

**WildTotodile: **yes, he was seeing Talonpaw's last moments of life. Remember (I forget the book number) where he gets attacked and killed by the kittypets, so Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight and Tawnypelt go out to attack them? And no, I didn't think they had the same brotherly connection as Squirrelflight and Leafpool, but that's a good idea... (smirks) Thanks!

**Snowfeather:** thanks for the review and the suggestion! We'll see if it happens...

**Spiritwind of FireClan: **I thought of making it a Guardians of Ga'hoole crossover, but that would be disappointing to the readers who haven't read Guardians of Ga'hoole. Besides, I think crossovers are weird unless they're really well written. Maybe some day I'll do a crossover between warriors and the dire wolves of the beyond. :)

**Speaker of Dragons: **I like the word fullygoodness :)

**Ravenpelt:** not much to reply to, so thanks for the review!

**Kura Sumi: **he's not dead! (cough cough, wink) I mean, the body was never searched for or found. They just assumed he wouldn't survive.

**Blindseer220:** I also just found out that they were brothers. I learned it when I put 'Smokepaw' into the search bar to make sure no one had already taken my idea, and I read a little oneshot on his 'death' (which we know didn't happen!). It said they were brothers, and it makes sense because they look alike. They just kinda seem like brothers :D

**Chapter 3**

Smokepaw woke to see two cats standing over him. At first he thought it must be Littlecloud and Talonpaw, or maybe his mother Nightwing. But Talonpaw and Nightwing were dark furred, not pale gray like the tom the stood over him, and Littlecloud looked nothing like the dark brown tabby by his side. He dismissed their strange appearances, telling himself that maybe his vision had been messed up by the icy flight in the owl's talons... the owl's talons!

Smokepaw sat up straight, his heart racing. He obviously wasn't in the great bird's talons any longer, but the Great Gray might return at any moment.

"Lie back down," someone mewed softly. "You need rest."

"Don't you go ordering him around," snapped another cat. "He seems old enough to make his own decisions."

"I didn't ask you," retorted the first cat.

Smokepaw ignored their bickering, taking the first cat's advice. He lay back down and closed his eyes, convinced that these two cats were, at least temporarily, looking out for him.

He heard a sudden _screech_-- the owl? No, the owl wasn't in the nest, but he was almost sure the source of the screech was nearby, almost right next to him. He reopened his eyes and glanced around nervously, and the sight the greeted him nearly scared him out of his mind.

Three little owlets, awakening from a nap. He was in the owl's nest.

"You woke them up!" came the accusing voice of one of the cats.

"Me? You were the one ordering the poor young one around," the other replied angrily.

"Are you _trying _to attract the owlets' attention?" the brown tabby demanded sarcastically.

"If you keep shouting like that and accusing me of mistakes that _you _made, we'll never get out of here," the pale tom retorted.

Smokepaw painfully lifted himself to his feet. The two bickering cats didn't even notice him dragging himself over to the nest's edge. He wanted to see how far up he was; maybe he would be able to survive another fall.

His front right paw trobbed visciously, burning with pain. He slowly bent it into his chest and tried not to walk on it as he limped over to the edge. His broken ribs seemed to crack with every step, sending lightning bolts of pain through his body. But he didn't give up. It was like his mentor, Oakfur, had taught him: you can't survive if you give up. You must always keep trying.

He briefly wondered if he'd ever train with Oakfur again, or even find his way back to ShadowClan. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the pale tom, who'd finally noticed that he was up.

"Get away from the edge, you might fall over!" he cried, racing over to Smokepaw.

"Watch it, you might knock him over!" the brown tabby called after him.

"Watch yourself, or you might stumble over the edge yourself," the pale tom retorted. "Not that anyone would care."

Smokepaw peered over the edge. The earth below him was so far away. His head spun just looking down at the icy fall that awaited him.

"Don't jump," the pale tom meowed, as if he could read Smokepaw's thoughts. "You'll surely kill yourself. Besides, Water Tribe is coming to rescue us."

The brown tabby laughed, as if his fellow prisoner had made some sort of joke. "Water Tribe, rescue us? I highly doubt that. They're just a bunch of cowards."

The pale tom beside Smokepaw whirled around, eyes blazing with anger. Smokepaw could see the fur on his neck bristling. "What did you say?" he snarled.

The brown tom glared at him menacingly, unsheathing his claws. Smokepaw froze, afraid that this cat would attack. He let himself fall to the ground, greatful for the rest. He watched with mixed curiousity and horror as the scene unfolded.

"I said that Water Tribe are just a bunch of cowards," he meowed. "It's true!"

The pale tom unsheathed his claws, his dark amber eyes flaring. "They have a better chance of rescuing us than your _pathetic _Ice Tribe," he retorted. "They're afraid of everything, even water!"

"It would be nice if there were fewer of you fish brained Water Tribe cats in the world," mewed the brown tabby, almost whistfully. Then without warning, he lunged at the pale tom.

Smokepaw looked on with horror as his protectors disappeared in a flurry of fur and claws. For a moment he could only watch in frozen fear, but the chirping of hungry owlets brought him back to his senses.

"STOP!" he yowled, but neither of the fighting cats heard.

Suddenly the pale tom fell backwards, blood streaming from a wound in his side. He lay unconscious on the sticks of the nest, a pool of blood forming beneath him. "Serves you right," the brown tabby snorted, walking over to stand beside Smokepaw. "If I were you, I'd stay away from those Water Tribe cats. They're nothing but trouble."

"Wh- why did you do that?" the ShadowClan apprentice studdered, and it wasn't from the cold. "Shouldn't you be w-working together to g-get out of here?"

The tabby laughed, his tail brushing Smokepaw's side. "It's impossible to work with Water Tribe cats," he meowed. "They're just selfish fish brains."

Smokepaw subconsciously took in that fish brain must be an insult they used around here instead of mousebrain, but he didn't give it much thought. He had to get out of here, and he obviously wasn't getting help from either of these two bickering cats.

"Don't worry, Ice Tribe will come for us," the tabby meowed comfortingly.

As if on cue, a voice sounded from below. A cat voice.

"Cypress, are you up there?" someone yowled from below.

The brown tabby peered over the edge, but quickly withdrew his head when he saw what was below. He groaned loudly, causing Smokepaw to worry that the owl was back or something. "I can't believe it," he meowed. "It's Water Tribe."

Smokepaw was confused. He had no idea what this Water Tribe was, or what this brown tabby's Ice Tribe was, or even where in the world he was. He was beginning to think that it was all a strange bad dream, but when he bit himself he didn't wake up. He was still stuck in an owls nest with three hungry chicks, an unconscious cat and a seemingly crazy brown tabby. Below him, cats who the brown tabby claimed to be from Water Tribe were trying to climb up the bare, decaying tree, but the moist bark kept breaking under their claws.

"Don't worry, Cypress!" someone called. "We're coming!"

Smokepaw had no idea what to do, but he decided that the best option was to let these cats rescue him and go from there. After what seemed like an eternity, a cat's head rose up over the edge of the nest. She grabbed at the wall with her unsheathed claws, pulling herself in.

"Who are you?" she asked Smokepaw, but before he could answer, she spotted the bleeding pale tom lying unconscious on the nest floor. She turned to the brown tabby, her blue eyes blazing. "What have you done to Cypress?" she demanded, rushing over to her fallen tribe mate.

The tabby shrugged. "He was insulting Ice Tribe. What was I supposed to do?" he mewed defensively.

As she felt for Cypress's pulse, she gave the Ice Tribe cat a hard stare. "Water Tribe will have your fur for this," she snarled, trying to lift the amber eyed tom onto her back.

The dark gray furred she-cat seemed to have totally forgotten that Smokepaw was there. He wasn't sure this was necessarily a bad thing; he didn't _want _to be noticed. He needed to learn more about where he was and who he was with. All he knew right now was that the pale tom's name was Cypress, and he assumed that Water Tribe and Ice Tribe were bitter rivals.

Another head poked up over the side of the nest, and more and more cats began to pour into the nest. The air was suddenly filled with noise, anger and tension as the cats' eyes fell upon the bleeding form of Cypress.

The dark gray she-cat, with the help of three others, soon had a firm grip on Cypress's fur and two free paws. "We'd better get him down from here," she meowed through a mouthful of pale fur. "Yellowroot had better take a look at him."

The other three cats nodded as they helped her drag the senseless cat over to the edge of the nest, none of them having the heart to tell her that Cypress might not be able to make it.

The brown tabby was surrounded on all sides by Water Tribe cats. Two of them secured their claws to his fur, knocking him to the ground. A third cat held a claw to his throat. "You're now a prisoner of Water Tribe," he snarled. "Guilty of injuring one of our tribe mates and possible murder. Consider yourself doomed," he added, pushing the trapped tabby toward the edge.

"You're not going to push me over, are you?" he meowed fearfully, digging his claws into the nest sticks to slow the progression to the edge.

One of his captors laughed roughly. "We're not Ice Tribe, fish brain," he meowed mockingly. "We don't kill just for the sake of killing." He leapt over the edge, and once he had his paws squared he helped heave over the captive.

Running around and lost in the chaos, a cat ran into Smokepaw. Taken by surprise, the apprentice stumbled backwards, and found himself glaring into the amber eyes of a small dark brown tom. His ribs ached and burned with a new wave of pain where the cat had hit him. "Watch it!" he snarled angrily.

The cat seemed oblivious to his anger. "I've never seen you before," he remarked. "Who are you?"

"None of your business," snapped Smokepaw.

"Well, we'd better get you out of here," he commented, looking Smokepaw up and down. The apprentice was covered in dried blood and bruises, his fur sweaty and matted. His scrunched up front paw was obviously broken. "You're in bad shape," he added.

Smokepaw hadn't actually thought about how horrible he must look. But it didn't matter. _Looks aren't going to heal me or get me back to ShadowClan,_ he thought bitterly.

The small tom darted away, calling back over his shoulder, "You can't climb down alone. I'll get some cats to help you."

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**Who is this strange small cat? What's up with these bitter rival tribes? Will they be able to help Smokepaw? Keep reading to find out, and PLEASE REVIEW!!**

_**Important Note: I'm going away for winter break soon, so I won't have computer access. You shouldn't expect an update until 2007. Until then, happy new year! **_

**--Moonstar**

**P.S When I get back, I want 23 reviews. C'mon, it's not that hard. If everyone who's already reviewed submits a review, then we'll have even more than 23. So REVIEW!!!!**

**P.P.S (isn't this getting annoying:D) This is the longest chapter I've ever written! YAY!**


	4. Yellowroot's Den

**I'm back! Good job with the reviews everyone! Now I feel really obnoxious for setting a goal, though. So here's the deal: I'm not requiring a certain number of reviews if you all review anyway. Capish? Good. Now, let's get to the replies.**

**Kura Sumi:** I can't really answer you without giving away the story, but I sent you a private message with the answer :)

**BlindSeer220:** That's a pretty good idea... (snickers) I'll have to talk to Spiritwind so she doesn't kill me for copying her, though. She's doing a story on Snowkit.

**Skypaw:** yay, I'm back! Thanks for reading this story! By the way, I like Skysong :)

**Wildpaw:** glad you love Smokepaw. I do to! and I love him more and more as I write about him. :)

**.Skia.:** sorry I didn't feel like typing out your whole username. Keep reading!

**Sleets:** thanks for reading and reviewing :) and by the way, I hope you review even when there isn't a goal...

**Rippedshadow:** thank you!!! Keep reading!

**Also, thank you to Leafpool's Loyalty, Sleets, Kura Sumi and Spottedblood for submitting names. It was very helpful, and I actually picked one of the names you wrote...**

**Chapter 4**

Smokepaw didn't remember getting carried down from the nest. He didn't remember squeezing his eyes shut and quivering with fear. He didn't remember the tortoiseshell she-cat who'd gripped his scruff in her jaws, or the white tom who'd climbed by his side for support. All he remembered was the small tom who'd been there all the way through, and who'd found help for him in the first place.

Smokepaw had snapped at him, trying to get him to go away, and he had helped him anyway. So as the tortoiseshell released him and let him gently fall into the snow, he decided that he should at least say thank you.

"Thanks," he mumbled weakly to the she-cat, but she was already darting away. The white tom was also gone, and again he was lying alone in the snow. He hoped that the small tom would find him, because he seemed to be the only one who noticed him. All the other cats walked by the heap of smoky fur in the snow as if it didn't exist.

Smokepaw lay down on his side, feeling the snow seep into his fur and chill his broken ribs. If these Water Tribe cats didn't help him, he'd probably die here in the snow. But would that really be so bad? He suddenly wanted to claw himself. He was being cynical again.

"Need a paw?" came a voice from behind him. Smokepaw tried to lift his head to see the source of the voice, but the snow kept pulling him back down. "Here, let me help you," mewed the voice.

A dusty brown muzzle burrowed underneath his body, and he found himself being lifted to his paws. But as soon as he was able to stand, he felt himself falling again. He braced himself to land in a snowdrift and for a jolt of pain to shock his ribs, but instead he fell lightly onto another cat.

"There you go," he meowed, grunting slightly under Smokepaw's weight. "Just lean on me, and we'll get you back to camp. We'll have Yellowroot fix you up, and you'll be just fine."

"Thanks," Smokepaw mewed weakly, but he wasn't sure that the cat heard. He looked down at the cat he was leaning on, and realized that it was the same small tom from before. "Thanks," he repeating, feeling even more grateful to this cat.

"Don't mention it," the dusty brown tom replied, but he didn't continue. He was saving his breath for bearing Smokepaw's weight.

Smokepaw limped alongside him for what seemed like forever. It became increasingly hard to walk through the deep snow, and he was soon up to his belly in the powdery flakes. His fur was drenched, and he wasn't sure if it was sweat or melted ice, or both. His broken paw felt warm tucked into his belly, but warmth meant that he could feel the pain. He was grateful that the freezing snow had numbed his ribs, so he could no longer feel them throbbing. The scrape on his leg had also stopped bleeding, and thanks to the snow he didn't feel that either.

The small tom remained silent until they came to a semicircle of leafless trees. They looked like brown skeletons, frail and limp, though the bottoms were round and fat. They stood out like sore pads on the landscape. As Smokepaw painfully rotated his head, all he could see for foxlengths around was snow, ice, and more snow. Even the sky, shrouded in storm clouds, was a whitish gray color.

The cat he was leaning on led him between two of the bare trees and into the semicircle. All of the trees had holes carved out in their big round bottoms. _Dens_, thought Smokepaw.

Smokepaw blindly followed his aid over to one of the dens. The entrance was covered in frail sticks which swayed in the breeze. Light and thin as they were, Smokepaw couldn't see through them. _That's probably the purpose of them_, he thought. He allowed himself a slight grin; his common sense was returning.

"Yellowroot?" the small tom called. "Yellowroot, are you there?"

"Come in, young Willow," came a mysterious voice from inside.

The dusty tom laughed. "You're losing your touch, Yellowroot. It's me, Wood."

Smokepaw barely registered the cat's name or that of the smoky she-cat who seemed to be the healer as he entered the den. He was too exhausted and weary. The last two sunrises were a blur to him, falling through the ice and his time in the owl's nest. Actually, he didn't know how long he'd been in the owl's nest. Maybe a day, maybe a week. He felt as if he were a ghost, barely even registering his own actions.

"Sit down, little one," mewed a kindly voice.

Smokepaw didn't need to be told twice. He immediately flopped down onto his belly, sprawling out on his side, though being careful not to lie too hard on his ribs.

The dark gray she-cat gazed at Smokepaw thoughtfully. "You've done well rescuing this cat, Wood. Has Cypress been rescued from the nest?"

The dusty tom's eyes clouded, and he lowered his head. "We were a little late, Yellowroot. Maybe... maybe Cypress has a chance..." he swallowed heavily. "He was attacked. Not by the owl, but by that foul Ice Tribe cat, Grass. He's a prisoner of Water Tribe now, and _if _Cypress dies..." he stressed the word _if_, as if it was extremely likely that his Tribemate would die and he didn't want to believe it. "Then Whitewater will sentence him to death."

Smokepaw coughed, and suddenly found himself in a coughing fit. He coughed over and over again, and felt the air leaving his body as he gasped for it. Yellowroot pressed her paws into his ribs, trying to stop the coughing. It worked, but his ribs screamed with pain which found its way out through his mouth.

Yellowroot immediately lifted herself off him. "I think his ribs are broken," she muttered. "You can go, Wood. I'm sure there's more work for you to do."

The small tom nodded, took one last look at Smokepaw, and left.

OOOOO

Grass, the large brown tabby, was shoved violently into one of the tree dens. He had scratches and bruises all over him where the Water Tribe cats had pushed him and shoved him. Did they have no respect? He was probably the fiercest warrior in all of Ice Tribe, and could even be the next leader. Oh well. What could he expect of those stupid Water Tribe cats?

Well, it didn't matter what he expected. If he didn't escape, he was fishfood. Only Water Tribe cats knew how to swim; no cat in Ice Tribe could swim for their lives. Literally. If any of them ended up in the water, they were most likely to drown. No cat from Water Tribe was going to assist them any time soon.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wished he hadn't attacked the pale tom back in the nest. At least not so violently. Now if that cat died, he would surely be sentenced to death. He knew, though, that if he didn't die, then he just might get out of here alive. Water Tribe's leader, Whitewater, was too soft. In his opinion, Whitewater was a perfect example of why females shouldn't be leaders. Whitewater had never ordered the death of an Ice Tribe cat unless one of her own had died because of their actions. That, in Grass's opinion, caused great weakness for Water Tribe. In Ice Tribe, any cat taken prisoner would be dead the next day. That's why there were so many more Ice cats than Water cats, as they were called.

Cypress, the amber-eyed tom Grass had attacked in the owl's nest, was dragged over to Yellowroot's den. They laid him down next to Smokepaw, casting questioning glances at the ShadowClan apprentice. "Who is he?" whispered a gray she-cat. Smokepaw had drifted into a restless sleep, but if he'd been awake, he would've recognized her as the first cat to climb into the nest.

"Leave him alone, Stream," meowed another she-cat, entering the den with a mouse in her jaws. She dropped it at Yellowroot's paws. "I saw Wood on the way over here. He said -"

"Wood?" meowed Stream. "Is this another one of his fishbrained jokes?"

"No," mewed the other she-cat evenly, her amber eyes shining as she sat down beside Cypress. "He said that he saw this cat in the nest with Cypress and Grass. He doesn't know where he came from, but I'm sure he'll have a lot to tell us when he wakes up."

"No, he won't," meowed Yellowroot, looking up from the mouse she'd been given. "Leave him be for a few days, Aspen. He's very weak. Give him some time to recover." She applied some yarrow leaves to Smokepaw's cuts to prevent infection, and shoved a few poppy seeds down his throat.

"What about Cypress?" whispered Aspen, rubbing her pale gray white-flecked fur against his. "Aren't you going to give him any herbs?"

"Be patient," mewed Yellowroot. "I'm getting to him. Why don't you leave your brother alone; he needs to rest."

"She's right," mewed Stream before her friend could answer. "C'mon, Aspen. Let's go get you some fresh kill."

"Bring something back for the new cat and Cypress," Yellowroot called after them. As they left, she gazed down at Smokepaw, and wondered if maybe he was the one to fulfill the prophecy.

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**What prophecy? Who are all these cats? Where are the Clans? What's going on here? AH!! Keep reading to find out...**


	5. Walk with Wood

**Alright, to the replies so we can get on with the story. Sorry for the slow update. I blame it on school :) Anyway...**

**Gargoyl: **thanks for reviewing! Here's your update :)

**Skyfeather123:** all I can tell you is that these are _not _Tribe of Rushing Water cats. They live too far away. And if I told you the prophecy, well, what would be the fun in that?

**BlindSeer220:** Cypress is a kind of tree. I'm surprised Erin Hunter hasn't used it yet, but I guess Cypresspaw does sound a bit strange.

**RoseLizzi:** This is for everyone with questions regarding Smokepaw's "ShadowClan edge". Well put. Anyway, he's been like a zombie the past few days, just trying to survive, so there hasn't been much time for personality. Notice when he's falling through the ice, though, he's very determined yet extremely cynical. Sounds like ShadowClan to me Though I must admit, he is way too nice. I'll have to make him meaner :) Thanks for the suggestion.

**WildTotodile:** I can't answer anything you've just written because it would give away the chapter. Oh, the suspense! Now you must read.

**WildPaw:** um, glad you're happy... yay!!

**werewolfness: **how did you know? Meep is one of my favorite words! No, seriously. Have you ever done a Mad Lib? Well, whenever it says 'expression', I always say 'Meep!!' OK, off topic...

**v i x u n d e r m y b e d: **hmm, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't notice that he was still listed. Oh well, that just makes the story more believable :)

**Rippedshadow:** thanks for being a faithful reviewer. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!!

**Chapter 5**

Three days later, Smokepaw woke feeling numb. No, numb was an understatement for the extremity in which he felt it, but his brain, which was numb as well, couldn't think of a better word to describe what he felt.

It took him a moment to realize that his entire body was swathed in cobwebs, and over the cobwebs was a layer of frost. He no longer felt pain in his ribs or his broken paw, or even the cut in his leg. He just felt _numb_.

"Yellowroot, the new cat's waking up!" mewed the young silver tom standing over him.

A smoky gray she-cat padded up behind him. "Thank you, Frost. Will you please fetch me some more poppy seeds in case he's in pain."

"I'm _not _in pain," mewed Smokepaw weakly, which was true, but the effort of speaking made his head spin. He groaned loudly.

Yellowroot, the gray she-cat, ignored Smokepaw's defiance and dropped a poppy seed by his muzzle. "Eat it," she ordered, and Smokepaw felt that it would be in his best interest if he did what this bright yellow-eyed she-cat told him.

The ShadowClan apprentice lifted his head slowly, and to his surprise he didn't feel its heaviness pulling it back down. Filled with lightness, Smokepaw slowly staggered to his paws, Frost and Yellowroot on either side of him for support. His broken paw was still curled into his chest, so he only had three paws to walk on.

Leaning on the young silver tom, Smokepaw took the time to examine the den. It was filled with herbs, and from the looks of the sturdy rugged oak walls forming a circle around the herb space, it was on the inside of a tree. It reminded him a bit of Littlecloud's den back in the old forest, and suddenly he felt a pang of homesickness. Or even just Clan sickness, because he remembered with a jolt that even _if _he ever did find the Clans he would never see the old territory again.

"Can you stand?" asked the silver tom suddenly, breaking Smokepaw away from his thoughts.

"I think so," the apprentice mewed shakily, and felt the two cats moving away from him. To his surprise, he did not fall right back down. He took a dainty step forward, and still his three paws did not give way.

Yellowroot nodded in satisfaction. "You've healed considerably well in these three days."

Three days! He'd been out for three days? He couldn't imagine these cats taking care of him for three days, completely helpless. Sure, he'd fallen through an icy gorge and then the two cats in the nest had looked after him, but that wasn't for very long and they were to busy bickering to actually help him.

But he'd followed that dusty brown tom back to this semi-circle of trees. He'd _followed_. He never followed anyone but Oakfur and Blackstar, sometimes Russetfur. Especially not someone his own age like that small tom. He'd leaned on him, even _thanked _him. Was he forgetting the dignity of a ShadowClan cat?

"I'll be leaving now," he meowed gruffly, limping towards the exit.

Frost ran to stand in his way. "You're not ready to leave yet. You need at least one more day in here before you go out into the snow."

Snow? He'd forgotten about that. Still, nothing stopped a determined ShadowClan warrior.

"I'll be fine," insisted Smokepaw. "Just let me go, won't you? I'm not a newborn kit, in case you haven't noticed."

"I have," muttered Frost, still blocking the exit. "But you're still not going anywhere."

"If this is about pride, swallow it," advised Yellowroot quietly, yet the words rang loudly in Smokepaw's ears.

Before he could answer, a small brown tom darted in through the sticks covering the exit, barrelling over Frost. He tripped, and found his paws spread out across Frost's back, and then noticed that he was sitting on top of him. "Oops," he mewed with a grin. He spotted Smokepaw standing up, looking in shock at the cat who one second ago had been blocking the exit and was now splattered beneath this cat's paws.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed. "That's awesome! Why don't I give you a tour of our territory?"

"That's quite enough, Wood," meowed Yellowroot sternly, trying to get the small tom out of her den. "This cat still needs to recover, and -"

"I'd love to," interrupted Smokepaw, eager to get away from this den for some reason. Maybe it was because the exit had been blocked a moment ago, and this was his way out.

"Great!" mewed Wood, and before Yellowroot could stop them, Smokepaw was limping out of the den behind him.

Frost staggered to his paws. "Fish brain," he muttered, licking bits of ice Wood had gotten on him off his paws.

Yellowroot sighed. "He's just... energetic."

"_Too _energetic if you ask me," grunted Frost.

"I didn't."

"Alright," mewed Wood, slowing his pace to let the limping Smokepaw keep up. "Let's go to Freezepool first, because it's the closest to camp. And by the way, my name is Wood."

"What's Freezepool?" asked Smokepaw, curiousity overwhelming his pride.

Wood grinned widely. "It's this little pool where we get our drinking water in the Warm Moons, but in the Cold Moons it freezes solid. It's a wonderful place to glide around when it's covered in ice, but no one else seems to think so. Whitewater actually said that it's _forbidden _this moon to actually go on the ice, on the grounds that it might crack."

"Whitewater? Who's Whitewater?" asked Smokepaw, hoping to maybe learn more about this strange place.

"Whitewater's our leader, of course. Didn't you know?" He paused, and answered his own question. "Of course, you came from the nest! You must not be from around here. I suppose I should explain our Tribe to you, then."

"Yes, I suppose you should," grumbled Smokepaw, annoyed at this Wood's over-enthusiasm.

"Oh, cheer up, you grumpy furball. I'll explain everything," mewed Wood happily. "Our leader is Whitewater. Normally in our Tribe, cats just have plain names, like I'm Wood and the silver idiot back in Yellowroot's den is Frost. Whitewater used to be called White, because of her clear white eyes. She's an albino cat, I think. Whatever that means. I just heard Yellowroot say it one day. Anyway, when a cat becomes leader, they add on 'water' to the end of their name, because we're Water Tribe. Makes sense, right?" Smokepaw nodded, signalling for him to continue. "In Ice Tribe, the leader adds on 'ice' to their name. The leader of Ice Tribe right now is Stoneice. In Ice Tribe, they name cats for their pelt color. For instance, even if a cat is white but has brown eyes, they'll still be named after their white pelt. Isn't that weird?"

"Yeah," Smokepaw mewed quietly. He was interested in the way everything worked around here, but he felt a little awkward right now. He decided not to tell Wood that his Clan had the same naming system as Ice Tribe, since even a blind mouse would realize that the two tribes were bitter enemies. "So, how do the cats in Water Tribe get named?" he asked casually.

"We get named by _eye color_," meowed Wood as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's why even though Yellowroot is gray, her yellow eyes earned her name. Frost is gray, but his eyes are blue, and that's why he's named Frost. Cypress, the pale tom from the nest, he's gray, but his eyes are brown..." he trailed off, thinking of his injured Tribemate. Smokepaw tried to give him a sympathetic look, but it was not a skill he exercised often. To Smokepaw's relief, Wood soon started talking again.

"My pelt and eye color are pretty much the same, so it didn't make a difference for me. Same for Whitewater; she's white all over. You'd lose her in the snow if she didn't keep her tail swishing around," he added with a grin.

"What about Yellowroot?" asked Smokepaw timidly, but then tried to add confidence to his voice. "Why is she Yellow_root_?"

"All herb cats add 'root' to the end of their names," mewed Wood, again sounding as if even a newborn squirrel would know that. "Yellowroot was called Yellow when she was Earthroot's trainee, but when he died she bacame Yellowroot. This all happened before I way before I became a trainee; before I was even born. Yellowroot's been Water Tribe's herb cat for countless moons."

"What about Ice Tribe?" asked Smokepaw, somewhat annoyed at his curiousity. Curiousity meant asking questions, and asking questions made him seem stupid.

"Yeah, their herb cats also take the name root," meowed Wood. "Their herb cat is called Duskroot. It's the only thing we have in common," he added with a low growl.

Smokepaw tried to work out the hidden information in what Wood had told him. Trainee seemed to be the word here for apprentice, and herb cat obviously meant medicine cat. The hidden meaning he pulled out of Wood's explaination like a mouse hiding in a hole in the ground was that he _hated _Ice Tribe. Of course, he'd realized this already; it wasn't hard to miss. Cypress and Grass bickering in the owl's nest had told him that, as well as constant criticism of Ice Tribe seemingly from every cat who'd spoken in his hearing range.

But Wood, a seemingly care-free happy-go-lucky young apprentice, or trainee as he called it, already harbored fierce hatred of Ice Tribe at a young age. Young cats with such hatred is a bad thing, because when the young grow up and become leaders of the Clan (or Tribe, in this case), they lead them with that horrible inspiration. Smokepaw even knew what it was like, because Blackstar happened to be one of those cats. Always was ShadowClan driven on with their hatred of their rival ThunderClan or laughing at the pathetic weakness of WindClan. The ShadowClan/ThunderClan rivalry was heated and fierce, especially after Tigerstar had become their leader when Smokepaw was still in the nursery. But Smokepaw sensed that Water Tribe and Ice Tribe were even worse than ThunderClan and ShadowClan. Water Tribe had prisoners, and he'd overheard Frost telling Yellowroot about a patrol of cats sent to attack Ice Tribe hunters.

This was more than rivalry; this was all-out war.

And he was now a part of it.

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**Well, everyone wish Smokepaw good luck, because as he now knows, he's landed in the middle of a war. Literally.**

**Sorry this chapter was a little boring and full of information without action, but you guys needed to know the basic system of these Tribes, and you still don't know it all... but the next chapter will be more entertaining, I promise. So keep reading, and reviewing of course! You guys have been great about reviewing, so don't screw up now:D**

--Moonstar


	6. Cold War

**Hello! Sorry it took so long to update. Don't blame me, blame my teachers! It's all school's fault! And basketball. But I actually _like _baseketball. I _don't _like school. So I blame it. Off topic. _Anyway_...**

**BlindSeer220:** thankies!! Wow, I can't believe I said that. I normally don't say things like 'thankies' or 'chappies' etc...

**Kura Sumi:** thanks! But you still don't know everything yet... (snickers)

**.Skia.: **sorry, I really don't feel like typing out your whole name again. I'm too lazy. Anyway, thanks! It's actually not different from the Clans if you look closely, but I never said that... I could never be creative enough to create something like the Tribe of Rushing Water, let alone the warriors series. Kudos to Erin Hunter. That's why she's the professional writer and I write for :D Too bad for her. Fanfiction beats professional writing any day ;)

**Spiritwind of FireClan:** I know, but I'm pretty sure its possible for them to have white eyes too.

**werewolfness:** meep! You really should talk to Spiritwind. One day I'm going to count how many times she says 'wolfness' in a day, except I'll lose track. :)

**RoseLizzi:** thanks for the review!

**Rippedshadow:** believe me, it was tons of fun. Especially the names. I like creating names; it's writing about them that's the tough part. :) ...I think I'm going smiley crazy...

**Chapter 6**

Smokepaw had barely payed attention during his tour of Water Tribe territory, though he did enjoy skating around on Freezepool with Wood. But when he got back to the semi-circle of trees that was the Water Tribe camp, he was immediately jolted back to his senses.

Screams and yowls of terror and fury filled the air along with strong fear scent. Wood's fur bristles, and Smokepaw heard the small tom unsheathing his claws beside him. Suddenly, he was no longer the over-enthusiastic young trainee who skated around on Freezepool; he was prepared for battle.

Without warning, a huge brown figure sprinted out between the trees they were about to pass through, shoving the two young cats aside as he kept barrelling on through. Smokepaw was mistified. Why would some random Water Tribe cat come darting out of camp like that? Beside him, Wood's eyes blazed with anger. "Grass!" he yowled, and before Smokepaw could stop him he was sprinting off after the Ice Tribe warrior.

Smokepaw didn't know what to do, so he simply took off after the dusty brown tom. Obviously this cat was an enemy to Water Tribe, and he felt like maybe he could help out by catching them. Also, he didn't want them thinking he was some sort of coward, like a mouse hiding under a rock. He could prove that he was a real warrior by catching their enemy, right?

From all his moons of life in ShadowClan territory, Smokepaw knew how to avoid marsh and sticky spots, and this skill helped him in the snow as he padded only on the sturdiest of patches without second thought. Bare trees zoomed by him in a stick-like brown blurs. In fact, the entire world seemed like a white, snowy blur as he sprinted through it. The hazy, flurry filled skies made it barely possible to see the mountain he'd fallen from in the distance. Soon he'd caught up and passed Wood, even though he was running on three legs. The _four legged_ Water Tribe trainee was running at breakneck speed but stumbled more often than his partner in the snow. Smokepaw felt a small sence of pride as he ran. He was running on three paws, while Wood had all four. While it was extremely awkward and Smokepaw could feel himself limping, he was still pretty fast.

Wood had a fierce glow in his eyes, burning like an amber fire. Smokepaw would never have guessed that such anger or fierocity was possible of such a carefree young cat. There must be something he didn't know.

Grass was in striking distance now. Smokepaw could clearly see the tabby stribes across his back, his dark tipped tail swishing in the breeze. Grass stumbled over a twig, and hesitated for a split second; so quick, most cats would never have noticed his pause. But Smokepaw, trained by Oakfur, the best hunter in ShadowClan, the best hunting Clan (in his opinion, of course) saw it all to clearly. He took his chance, and pounced.

Wood looked on in mixed shock and horror as Smokepaw leapt on Grass and tore at his fur, slashing his claws along the brown tabby's back. The smoky tom soon had the Ice Tribe warrior pinned down since he'd had the advantage coming from behind. Smokepaw was suddenly caught up in the heat of battle, as if he was in another border skirmish with ThunderClan. Below him was the ThunderClan leader Firestar, whom Blackstar had taught him to despise. Firestar was always messing up ShadowClan's plans, but then he made himself look good and ShadowClan weak by offering them help and protection. The arrogant kittypet even had the nerve to _tell Blackstar what to do_. No one, _no one_, told Blackstar what to do. Firestar had _commanded _him to leave the forest. Who did he think he was?

Smokepaw raised his claw, ready to strike down Grass, the image of Firestar. He would be made a warrior for this, he decided. Blackstar and Oakfur would be so proud of him...

"No!" cried Wood, leaping in front of him.

Smokepaw immediately snapped out of his trance. No longer was he standing atop Firestar, but just the mousebrained Ice Tribe warrior Grass. Wood was panting beside him, his legs looking like they were about to give way. "Don't kill him," he rasped.

Smokepaw kept Grass pinned down, but he was confused. He'd thought that Water Tribe looked prepared to kill Ice Tribe mercilessly, and he'd seen the hatred in the trainee's eyes. Why was he now being told to spare Grass's life?

Grass passed out in the cold and because of blood loss. Smokepaw felt his muscles relax, and he lifted himself off the large tabby. Wood looked at the limp body, his chest heaving. Suddenly his face was clouded with regret.

"Please," he whispered. "Please don't tell anyone."

"What?" asked Smokepaw, genuinely confused. Wouldn't Wood want to claim the glory for capturing Grass?

"Don't tell them I told you not to kill him," panted Wood. "Don't tell them I saved his life. Whitewater would have wanted him dead."

Smokepaw looked at him in confusion. Had the young trainee just gone against his leader's word? He had saved the life of an enemy who his leader wanted dead.

"I... I couldn't let him die," whispered Wood. "I... I can't kill any other cats or watch them die... I don't think it's right that any cat should ever have to die, especially when they can't defend themselves... please don't tell. My tribe is bent on killing Ice Tribe. I can kill them in battle, but never when they're defenseless like this..."

Smokepaw gazed at him with his shining amber eyes. Something inside of him told him not to tell. Wood, he decided, was probably one of the most noble cats he'd ever met, even more than any cat in ShadowClan, because of what he'd just said. He wished every cat - himself included - could think like that. So much less blood would be spilt; so many fewer lives, young and old, would be lost; so many more cats would live their lives to the fullest without being plagued by fear and sorrow.

"I have killed before," mewed Wood quietly. "I killed a young Ice Tribe trainee in a border skirmish. He had just been made a trainee, and he had his whole life ahead of him... I felt so guilty, and no one in Water Tribe understood why. I guess I wouldn't have a problem killing that tyrant Stoneice or his right paw cat, Dark, or any other fishbrained Ice Tribe warriors. But I can't kill in cold blood, and I can't kill a defenseless creature, not even Grass..."

Smokepaw brushed his smoky tail across his new friend's muzzle. "I understand," he whispered. "I won't tell. We found him here, collapsed in the snow, ok?" He didn't know why he was being so sympathetic, but for some reason he felt for this cat. He was just like any warrior; he could tell that Wood would fight fiercely in battle, he simply had a larger heart than most. He couldn't kill a defenseless cat; it wasn't right. It was probably against the warrior code too, but it was a rule broken by the Clans all the time.

"You see, Grass is a traitor," mewed Wood, his lips drawing back into a snarl. "He used to be in Water Tribe, and only Sky Tribe knows why he ran away. That's why he has the name grass after his green eyes, not a name after his pelt like they do in Ice Tribe. He ran off to join Ice Tribe. His sister Emerald tried to stop him. She was a nice cat, a good friend of my mother's. So he killed her and continued on. I hate his guts and everything else about him. I want to tear the fur off his pelt, rip his sorry hide to shreds, and make him beg for mercy. But I never want to make him die..."

Before Wood could continue, a patrol of Water Tribe warriors ran up behind them, their coats covered in frost. Barely visible at the helm was a pure white she-cat with eyes as white as her snowy fur. "Wood, have you caught Grass?" she yowled so as to be heard through the icy winds, which were picking up as they spoke.

"The new cat pounced on him and he collapsed," replied Wood. "We have him out cold, Whitewater."

"Good work," mewed Whitewater, padding closer to get a good look at the brown tabby. "I suppose you didn't get the chance to kill him." Wood and Smokepaw shook their heads.

"Let's kill him now," snarled a dark brown tom with dark amber eyes.

Whitewater was obviously hesitant. Smokepaw quickly realized that she wasn't some kind of heartless tyrant, and that she was willing to hesitate before killing an innocent cat. But from what Wood said, Grass wasn't innocent; he was a murderous traitor.

"You have my permission, Mud." Whitewater stepped back to let the dark eyed tom through. Grass's eyes flickered open, glowing dull green for the last time. His eyes were open for but a few seconds when Mud brought down his long claw on his dark brown throat.

A cheer rose up from the Water Tribe warriors as they celebrated. They triumphantly began to stride back to camp. They considered this a victory, something they could brag to Ice Tribe about.

"Bring the traitor's body," growled Whitewater. A simultaneous groan escaped her warriors. "We can hold it ransom. Besides, we can't just leave it here." Obviously, a few of the cats, Mud especially, had considered doing just that.

Smokepaw now fully realized just what he'd landed in. This was all out war; a cold war, where too much blood would be spilled and too many cats would die. These cats were all filled with hatred, except for Wood.

He and Wood had to stop it. They had to bring peace. Surely a ShadowClan cat could manage that?

_Yeah right,_ he thought cynically. Cynical thinking - now that was something a ShadowClan cat could handle.

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**Well, there you go. This is war, and Smokepaw is in the middle of it. This is intense, this is brutal... I didn't exaclty mean for it to be that way, but it is. Deal with it.**

**Also, just a small author's note, I don't want anyone to think that Wood is a wimp. No! He's just a very complicated character with a deep personality and many moods. I like him, but I'll bet you don't fully understand him yet. That's OK, just be assured he'll fight bravely in battle.**

**Hey, what about the prophecy? Oh well, guess you'll have to wait till next chapter. That means you have to _keep reading_! And reviewing, as always. Till next time,**

**--Moonstar**


	7. Enter Leaf

**Wow... I'd like to congratulate all of you absolutely wonderful reviewers on a job well done. You guys have been great! All the reviewers for chapter 6 get a Smokepaw plushie. If you didn't get a Smokepaw plushie, it's not too late! You can still review chapter 6! Anyway, to the replies...**

**werewolfness:** meep! Thanks for reading!

**Shaded-Strike:**I was waiting for someone to notice that. Good job! No, Smokepaw has not told anyone his name yet, or anything about himself or where he comes from.

**Sleets:** sorry, you noticed too, but Shaded-Strike beat you to it :) mwahaha! Now you have to go attack her! (hide, Shaded-Strike!)

**gargoyl: **thanks! Hope you like the next chapter.

**RoseLizzi: **yeah, I've always wanted to make a kind of complicated character, but the people (or cats, I should say) in my other books are way too easy to understand. Wood's cool in that you have to kind of figure him out.

**Oceanwind: **thanks for reading!

**Shadow of the Nights:** oh, great. (sigh) You're here, too. (sarcastic sadness) I guess I should post a warning sign on the review page that says something like "Shadow of the Nights has reviewed this story. Beware." (cheeky grin) Hope you like it :)

**Kura Sumi: **you're right. Not only that, but you'll see soon that Wood isn't exactly fond of the cat who killed Grass, and you won't be either.

**.Skia.: **again, too lazy to type out your username or even paste it in. Some day I'm going to, though. Sorry about the typo - you're correct. But for now, just keep reading!

**BlindSeer220: **that is horrible. It's trying to show you Grass's evil character and stuff. He left because he's a crazy idiot ;)

**Chapter 7**

Smokepaw watched as two cats, whom he recognized as Stream as Cypress's sister Aspen, dragged Grass's body back to their camp. The semi-circle of trees looked barer and thinner than ever as the dead cat was laid at the side of the camp, away from all the dens.

Smokepaw suddenly realized that he was exhausted. His legs felt tired and numb with cold, especially since he only had three. His fourth paw was still curled tightly into his chest, but it was starting to loosen up.

Smokepaw's smoky gray fur was blanketed in frost and snowflakes, his pelt ruffled from the wind that had whipped it to and fro. His face stung with the ice that was melting into his fur, combined with the cold breeze brushing against it. His broken ribs, which hadn't bothered him before - he'd thought that maybe he'd overestimated the extent of his injury there - were throbbing painfully. OK, so maybe he had overestimated the injury, but that didn't get rid of it altogether.

The ShadowClan apprentice wanted to collapse then and there, in front of a whole patrol of Water Tribe warriors. _No_, he scolded himself. _Collapse shows weakness. ShadowClan warriors _don't _show weakness!_

He was about to ignore his thoughts and just lay down in the thin snow, when an equally exhausted Wood appeared at his side, sorrow gleaming in his light amber eyes.

"Sorry about what happened back there," he rasped, forcing a grin. "What do you think of going and taking a nap? You can sleep in my den. There's always been extra space... since... I'm tired. Let's go get some sleep," he finished, and took off in the direction Smokepaw supposed was the direction of his den. The apprentice didn't even take the time to notice that Wood seemed to have his own den, instead of sharing it with the other apprentices.

Wood led him into another one of the tree dens, similar to Yellowroot's, just Wood's was inside a sycamore tree. The small tom promptly curled up in a fresh bed of moss, and thumped the space beside him with his tail. "You see, plenty of room," he mumbled sleepily, his eyes already closed.

Smokepaw curled up in the empty space, and gazed about the den. It looked like it would easily fit three grown cats, as opposed to Yellowroot's spacious medicine den, so there was plenty of room for him to spread out. As sleep threatened to claim him, he mumbled one last question to Wood.

"Why do you have your own den?"

Wood rolled over to face Smokepaw, his eyes still closed. "There are so many trees, therefore so many natural dens inside them, so not many cats sleep in each one. All kits sleep with their parents until they are old enough to be trainees, then they sleep with their siblings until they're old enough to be fighters. When they become fighters, they still sleep with their siblings until they find a mate." His jaws stretched into a wide yawn. "If a kit is the only one in its litter, then sometimes it will stay with its parents until it finds a mate, sometimes with its teacher."

"What about you?" Smokepaw couldn't help but asking.

"I wasn't the only kit," Wood mewed quietly. "I have a sister and a brother. My sister Amber had kits with... with that fishbrained wildclaw Mud. She sleeps with him now. And my brother... Yellowroot thought that he was the one to complete our prophecy. We were sure he was the chosen one. And then... then he was captured." He shivered violently, his eyes opening and then shutting again. "I don't even know if he's still alive."

Smokepaw laid his tail gently across Wood's muzzle. "I'm sorry," he whispered, doing as good a job as he could at comforting Wood. "What was your brother's name?" he asked, suddenly curious.

"Smoke."

Smokepaw's half closed eyes snapped open. "What did you say?" he asked, though he had heard perfectly well.

"His name was Smoke," whispered Wood. "He had dark gray eyes and a dusty pelt like mine. His eyes were so weird... and Yellowroot thought that he was the smoke from the prophecy... until he disappeared."

"Smoke in the prophecy?" asked Smokepaw, suddenly wide awake.

Wood nodded sleepily. "Can we talk about this later? I'm really sleepy."

Smokepaw was about to say no, but he realized that his new friend was already asleep. Well, if Wood was asleep, then maybe he should be too... he felt the drowsyness returning, his eyelids closing again. He should take Wood's suggestion... they would talk about it later.

OOOOO

Leaf followed her trainer over towards Wood's den. She didn't talk much with the overly energetic trainee, even though he was just a bit older than her. She'd heard about how he and the strange new cat had chased down the traitor, Grass. Her mother had been Emerald, Grass's sister, whom he killed on his escape. Leaf and her brother, Bracken, were a moon away from becoming trainees when it happened. She and Bracken barely even remembered Emerald.

Leaf was a slender young she-cat with brown that was neither light nor dark, maybe a bit on the lighter side, but each of her pawtips were snowy white, as well as the tip of her tail. Her bright green eyes which had earned her the name Leaf shone with anticipation. She was finally going to meet the new cat, who was rumored to be the answer to the prophecy which had been taunting them for years. She and Stream, her trainer, were to wake him up, take him hunting, and then take him to Whitewater. She wondered if she'd be able to listen to what her leader had to say. She was sure it'd be interesting.

"C'mon, Leaf!" mewed Stream from up ahead, waiting to enter the den.

"Are you sure we should wake him?" asked Leaf, suddenly wondering if he'd be fully rested after the little episode with Grass.

"Relax," meowed Stream dismissively, the sun reflecting off her gray flecked fur. "Those two have been sleeping all day!" She stepped into the den, the entrance of which was covered only by a few stringy dead branches.

She rested her paws, claws sheathed, on Smokepaw's back, and began to shake him. "Wake up," she whispered. "C'mon, wake up."

Ironically, Smokepaw continued sleeping like a log, but it was Wood whose eyes flickered open. "What're you doing here?" he mumbled sleepily. He shook himself, trying to shake the sleep from his amber eyes.

Stream gave him a look that was somewhere between a glare and a sympathetic gaze; Leaf couldn't really tell. "We've only come for the new cat," she meowed patiently. "You can go back to sleep."

"Can't you see he's tired?" meowed Wood. "Let him sleep!" He flicked his tail at the peacefully curled up form of Smokepaw, who had his smoky tail resting over his eyes.

Stream gave him another look - now that was definately a glare. Her deep blue eyes were fixed on Wood, silently saying, _Just let us follow our orders and make life easier for everyone, you little fishbrain_, or something along those lines.

"Fine," muttered Wood. "But don't make him go all alone. Can I come too?"

"He won't be all alone!" countered Stream. "He'll be with Leaf and I!"

Wood seemed to notice Leaf standing in the doorway of the den for the first time. He paused for a second before continuing. "What I mean is," he mewed, trying to sound calm without sounding rude, "The new cat doesn't really know anyone here yet. He just kind of knows me. I... I don't want him to feel alone."

Just as Stream was about to send another retort in Wood's direction, Smokepaw lifted his head, yellow eyes wide open, and stretched his jaws into a yawn. Wood couldn't help but grin; perfect timing.

"What's this all about?" he meowed, trying to sound like he was wide awake but failing to hide traces of sleep in his tone.

"Whitewater says that Stream and I are to take you hunting, and then you're to speak with her," Leaf mewed timidly.

"And he's not to come," added Stream, flicking her tail at Wood.

Smokepaw scowled. "Why not?"

Stream hadn't been expecting a question like that. In Water Tribe, trainee aged cats rarely ever questioned the orders of the senior fighters. Of course, it did happen, and normally resulted in punishment for the trainees. But obviously this cat was different. He even appeared to have an attitude.

"Because those are Whitewater's orders, and we _obey _orders from our leader," Stream replied tetchily. She wasn't enjoying this exchange.

"Alright," mewed Wood suddenly, his head hanging low as he stared down at his feet. "I'll stay behind. Go ahead."

Smokepaw was astonished. Before he'd woken up, he'd heard fragments of the debate between Wood and Stream, but now his friend was giving up at the mention of his leader's name. Was he afraid of his leader or something?

But as the ShadowClan apprentice stole a glance at the Water Tribe trainee, he noticed a mischevious twinkle in his eyes. His light amber eyes glowed like they had when they had gone on the tour of the territory and his entire body had been overwhelmed with excitement. Yet he kept his dusty brown head bowed, his frame still. Something, maybe it was that mischevious glint, told him that Wood wasn't simply giving up. This was the cat who Smokepaw had met on his first day there, not the soft hearted trainee from the battle with Grass.

As Smokepaw turned to follow Leaf and Stream out of the den, Wood remembered something. Something important. "Hey!" he called after the ShadowClan apprentice. "What's your name?" He didn't know why he hadn't asked before; there had just been no reason to. But now he was curious.

To his dismay, Smokepaw was already out of earshot, dashing to keep up of Leaf and Stream with only three legs. Oh well, he'd ask when he saw him next. He allowed himself a smug, delighted grin. Smokepaw would see him again sooner than he thought.

-------------

**Hehehe, so what's Wood up to? Knowing him, it's a little trick of some sort... he's beginning to sound a bit like me. Especially the part with the mischevious glint in his eyes... (grins evilly and shifts eyes). Ah well... I wonder what Whitewater's going to say to Smokepaw. Yellowroot'll be there too, ya know. She knows all about that prophecy that you DON'T know about (smirks and winks), so I suppose you'll just have to keep reading.**

**OK, now before you say it, (I know some of you were thinking of it), I know you didn't really get a look at Smokepaw this chapter. It was really more about Wood, _his _personality and _his _background. You'll see more of Smokepaw next chapter, promise.**

**--Moonsta****r **


	8. An Eventful Tour

**Woohoo! Chapter 8, here we go! Weee! OK, hyperness over. :P**

**.Skia.ex.to.astron.**hey, I put in your whole username! Anyway, I appreciate stalkers. Not real ones, of course. Just ones who like my stories :D

**Starlight of ThunderClan: **yeah, vixenundermybed pointed that out before. Strange, isn't it? Hmm, maybe that means he's alive! Maybe he's actually going to come back in the books? I dunno. Well, he's alive here, so ha!! ;)

**Blindseer220: **I love him too :) He and Smokepaw, they'll make a good team. Wood can be the kind-hearted optimist, and Smokepaw can be the grumpy pessimist. What? He was raised in ShadowClan, remember:P Maybe Wood can give Smokepaw a better sense of humor.

**Shadow of the Nights:** who's Twigtooth? (Looks around) hmm… anyway, want rivalry scenes? Read everything after chapter 3. Especially the scene in the nest, where Cypress and Grass are arguing over Smokepaw. That's amusing to read. :D

**Kura Sumi: **I'm kinda lost, actually. Just who do you think Smokepaw really is? I'd be glad to get a private message or just a review with your suspicions.

**Spiritwind of FireClan: **right you are! I like her already :) and about Wood… you hang out with me too much. That's how you knew what he was up to… teehee! Weee!

**I like my plushies:** umm… no, Smokepaw and Wood are _not _related. Where did you get that idea?

**WildTotodile: **Wood's not afraid, he's just a very good actor. He's planning something… (Keep reading to find out hint hint)

**RoseLizzi: **yeah, I got that idea from me. I sometimes get that glint… hehehe… especially when I have a spork and a plate of beans. Beans fly well, you know.

**Shaded-Strike: **why thank you! Oh, in case you haven't noticed, I've been using your system of replying. Same font and all. You've inspired me! (hugs Shaded-Strike) (Shaded-Strike runs away from the crazy person writing this response)

**mysterys: **cool new username. It's more… mysterious.

**Chapter 8**

"So, this is Freezepool," mewed Stream as the circled around the frozen pool. Smokepaw felt the sudden urge to just glide across it like he'd done with Wood, but he knew that Stream and Leaf would never do that. He'd realized that Wood's antics were normally frowned upon. He could see why; the young trainee did such weird things, like gliding across frozen pools and acting like a hyperactive kit most of the time.

Smokepaw felt like he was the only one who knew about Wood's softer, calmer side. He remembered the way Frost, Yellowroot's apprentice, had talked down to him like he didn't know the difference between a rock and a rabbit. He remembered the way Stream had looked at Wood like he was nothing more than an immature kit, and he hated the way she'd told him he couldn't come on the tour with them. She acted as if he wasn't good enough—like he was too energetic, too young, to immature, too _something_ to come. Even Leaf, who had remained emotionless so far, seemed to roll her eyes every time she looked at him.

They thought he was immature. But in Smokepaw's opinion, he was the most mature cat in all of Water Tribe. The only one who saw that violence wasn't the answer, and who wanted to strive for peace.

"Watch out!" cried Leaf, leaping in front of Smokepaw. For a moment, he was confused, but then he realized that he had been about to walk right into a defrosted part of the lake. He shivered just thinking about how cold the water would have been, and to emerge dripping and freezing in this weather might have killed him. The snowflakes coating his fur and covering his paws suddenly seemed much warmer.

"Watch where you're going," mewed Stream irritably. "C'mon, I want to get to Halfcedar before sunhigh."

Most of the Water Tribe territory was exactly the same: white, white, and more white. Everything was covered in snow and frost. The few bare trees looked like skinny brown skeletons, standing out like sore pads on the flat icy landscape. Though, to his pride, Smokepaw recognized one of the few landmarks he's seen with Wood yesterday. Though there weren't really many landmarks, since most everything was just ice and snow.

Finally they reached Stream's destination, just before sunhigh. All four of Smokepaw's paws were aching; three with exhaustion (they were doing more work since the fourth paw wasn't involved), and the fourth stung with cold although it was tucked safely into his chest.

Smokepaw hadn't been to Halfcedar with Wood, but he immediately figured out how it got its name. In the middle of yet another field of blank white ice stood a cedar tree, not particularly thick yet thicker than any tree Smokepaw had seen in the territory. Yet it seemed only to go halfway up; right at the top, or what might have been the middle long ago, the tree just… ended. There were a few splinters, but the tree continued no higher.

"How long has it been like that?" asked Smokepaw, and as soon as the words left his muzzle he wished they hadn't. What would Oakfur say if he heard his apprentice ask an unnecessary question such as that?

_"Questions show weakness, Smokepaw," meowed Oakfur, his dark brown pelt illuminated by the sunlight dappling through the pine trees of the training hollow. "ShadowClan warriors _never _show weakness. You must find your own answers, because ShadowClan cats are the only ones capable of doing so. All the other Clans just _ask _each other for help and for answers, but ShadowClan are strong. You can be strong too, Smokepaw. Any questions?"_

_Smokepaw thought for a moment; he had plenty of questions. But the young apprentice was smart, and he knew what Oakfur was playing at. It was a test._

"_No, Oakfur. I have no questions. I'll find my own answers to any questions I have."_

_Oakfur purred with pride. "Very good, Smokepaw."_

Smokepaw had done well that training session. He briefly wondered if he'd ever see the marsh surrounded training hollow again, and he tried to push away the wave of homesickness threatening to overwhelm him. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to see Talonpaw again, to see Nightwing, even to see Blackstar. But he knew that they wouldn't approve of the decisions he'd made.

He'd asked too many questions, allowed himself to receive too much help, even made a friend. Wasn't that contrary to the ShadowClan way?

"Watch it!" called Stream, but too late. Smokepaw walked straight into Halfcedar, jamming his muzzle on the frozen bark.

Leaf couldn't help but laugh, her laughter escaping her muzzle and floating away on the wind. "You're a bit clumsy, aren't you?"

Smokepaw tried to smile, suddenly embarrassed. "No, I'm just sort of lost in thought," he replied, knowing that he had a pretty pathetic excuse for bumping into a tree. _Nice going_.

Leaf purred with amusement as Smokepaw shook the splinters from his fur. "What?" he snapped, glaring at her as best he could, but he still had splinters in his vision threatening to poke at his eyes.

Leaf couldn't help but think that this new cat was… interesting. He had barely spoken, he seemed to have a grouchy personality, but there was something about him… maybe Yellowroot was right about him. He did seem a lot like the cat the prophecy described. And maybe he wouldn't be so grumpy if someone actually tried to talk to him. Like Wood. He seemed fine with Wood, right?

"So, what's your name?" she asked him casually, padding beside him as he continued to shake splinters from his fur.

"What's yours?" he countered, though Leaf was sure he already knew.

"I'm Leaf," she meowed, trying not to sound annoyed. "And she's my mentor, Steam." She flicked her tail at the grayish she-cat who was walking a few fox-lengths ahead of them. "And you are?"

"None of your business," grumbled Smokepaw, stilled sour from bumping into the tree and feeling hostile to Leaf and Stream after their behavior towards Wood. Sour and hostile, bad thoughts and bad experiences; all common feelings for a ShadowClan cat, and very unfortunate for any cat coming into contact with one.

"You're going to have to tell someone sooner or later," Leaf teased, starting to enjoy herself. "Whitewater's going to want to know."

"Then I'll tell her," Smokepaw replied flatly.

"Then why won't you tell me?" asked Leaf.

"Are you two going to stand there bickering like Ice Tribe fighters all day, or are you coming?" called Stream from up ahead, sounding equally as grumpy as Smokepaw.

"Great StarClan, what's biting _her _tail?" Smokepaw muttered.

"Look who's talking, gray grumpypaws," Leaf laughed. She wondered why she was acting silly the way she was. Normally Leaf was a timid cat, always hesitant to hurt the feelings of others and protective of the cats around her. She was also normally very observant, but she had totally missed Smokepaw's use of the strange word "StarClan".

Had she asked, Smokepaw might have told her that StarClan was a clan of dead cats who watched over the living and guided them through their lives. Leaf would have laughed, saying that only the cats of Sky Tribe were capable of that. Every cloud in the sky was a different Sky Tribe warrior. In this icy country, it was cloudy almost all the time, and much of the time you couldn't even tell one cloud from another; the sky was always shrouded in white mists. It was believed that on the rare occasions where it was less cloudy or there were even no clouds in the sky, that Sky Tribe was angry. No one stopped to consider that Sky Tribe should be angry _now _at the escalating rivalry of the two tribes.

"So, this is the Ice Tribe border," meowed Stream, turning her head to see the two young cats lagging behind. "Are you two coming or what?" She paused, a slight grin playing on her lips. "Or are you two busy flirting?"

Stream looked very pleased by her clever remark, and was even more pleased by the reaction.

"Me? Flirt with _him_?" Leaf growled. "I don't flirt with grumpy piles of mouse dung."

"How could mouse dung be grumpy?" Smokepaw countered. "Mouse dung doesn't have feelings. Anyway, I would never flirt with _you_. I was just defending myself from your pathetic, pointless teasing."

"Mouse dung doesn't have feelings? That's not true; you seem pretty upset," retorted Leaf.

Smokepaw drew his lips back into a snarl, his dark fur bristling under the blanket of frost coating his fur. "Don't mess with me," he meowed darkly, in a threatening low hiss mastered only by the cats of ShadowClan, and then stalked ahead of Leaf to join Stream at the border.

Stream looked on with amusement, but she didn't comment. Her smug grin spoke louder than any remark she could have made. "So here's the Ice Tribe border," she meowed airily. She briefly wondered about the new cat's temper, or lack of thereof, but pushed those thoughts away. If he was the chosen one, then she didn't give a fish tail for his temper.

The Ice Tribe border wasn't really much of a border. It wasn't even a landmark like Halfcedar or Freezepool. It wasn't even _visible_. It was just a trail of scent marks, and it seemed to Smokepaw like you would only know the border was there if you had been there many times before, like Stream, or if you walked straight into the rank air of Ice Tribe scent marks. Otherwise, the landscape was perfectly normal; white, white, snow, snow, then more white and snow.

Leaf was about to continue walking across the border, but Stream froze her with a wave of her snow-flaked tail. "Don't go that way," she meowed. "Aspen and Willow found a snow fox there yesterday, remember?"

"Right," mewed Leaf, embarrassed. She should have remembered. Aspen and Willow had darted back into camp with horrified expressions on their faces, between gasps for breath shouting out a single word.

_Fox! _The word echoed eerily in her mind. No one had been back in that part of the territory since then, but she'd heard that Whitewater was organizing a patrol to go and kill it.

"We'll just go back the way we came," mewed Stream, shaking the snowflakes off her pelt. Smokepaw and Leaf quickly did the same.

As soon as they changed directions, Leaf felt herself walking against the wind, which was especially hard since she was also walking through a thick blanket of snow. The breeze, though light, was bone chilling. The young she-cat felt herself shiver as the cold blast ruffled the fur on her face. But then she scented something.

She paused, focusing her eyes straight ahead. She could just make out something moving in the snow, then in disappeared into a snowdrift.

_It's hard to see_, she thought. Flakes of snow were beginning to fall from the sky; any cat would have trouble seeing in a snow shower. _It was probably just a mouse_.

Sure enough, after a few pawsteps, a mouse's head appeared out of the snow. Unable to resist the temptation, mouse scent filling her nose, she pounced and snapped the scrawny gray mouse's neck with a swipe of her paw.

"What'd you do that for?" grumbled Smokepaw. "Now we have to carry it all the way back."

"Relax, grumpypaws," muttered Leaf through a mouthful of mouse fur. "_I'll _carry it, and now we'll have extra food for the tribe."

Smokepaw glared scathingly at her, his piercing yellow gaze fixed on her, trying to catch her eye. He wanted her to see his trademark glare so she would leave him alone. But Leaf was smarter than she acted; she knew what he was doing, and didn't give him the satisfaction of looking. So the three cats padded wordlessly back towards the Water Tribe camp in a single file line, Stream at the front.

Smokepaw, though he didn't say it, was grateful to be after Stream, because she was clearing a path through the thickening snow for him. Leaf was behind him; good. He didn't want to appear weak by having her go first, and then walking would be easiest for him.

As they rounded Freezepool, Smokepaw thought of Wood, gliding across the ice. He wished his friend was there now, to save him from Leaf's annoying behavior and to lead him back to the nice warm den. If only Wood had come on the tour with them…

Without warning, a brown figure leapt out from behind a pillar of snow. Leaf only had time to gasp before it slammed into her side, causing her to stagger backwards and loose her balance. She almost snarled in frustration as she tried vainly to regain her footing, but she had stumbled onto a sheet of ice, so she just kept slipping. Suddenly, her paws gave way beneath her, and she fell backwards onto the Freezepool.

Whitewater was right; the ice was thin. Too thin to hold the weight of a falling trainee. Leaf went crashing through the ice into the freezing water.

"Leaf!" cried Stream, hurried over to the water's edge to pull her trainee out.

Smokepaw glanced around, looking for the cat who did this. His eyes fell upon the small brown figure, sitting in plain sight, snow flakes covering his fur. The cat's amber eyes shone with satisfaction, and he let out a purr of amusement.

"Wood!" yelled Stream and Smokepaw simultaneously. Stream was snarling in annoyance, but Smokepaw looked just as entertained as his friend. He brushed Wood's flank playfully.

"Nice," he laughed, winking.

Wood returned the wink, and the watched in amusement as Stream hauled Leaf out of the water.

Leaf shook herself, shivering violently. Her ears were flattened, as well as her fur, which dripped with the freeze water. She glared fiercely at Wood, with almost as much intensity as Smokepaw. Almost.

"You'll be in big trouble for this," hissed Stream. "And _that _is why we didn't want you to come."

She stalked off with Leaf, guiding her shivering trainee back to camp. Smokepaw and Wood looked on, sniggering.

"I suppose she was bothering you?" Wood asked.

Smokepaw nodded. "I was just wishing you were there to save me, and then you came!"

Wood laughed. "That's the most enthusiasm I've ever heard you talk with," he meowed, and he seemed serious. It was true, after all.

Suddenly, the small tom's amber eyes clouded. "I'm going to be in _huge _trouble for this," he mumbled.

Smokepaw nodded; _huge _was an understatement.

And then the two toms broke out laughing again.

* * *

**(sigh) toms… Before you say it, I _know _that was mean, but admit it, it was funny :D And look at the bright side: Smokepaw is _laughing_! Since when was he happy? Since now! He's cheering up, yay! **

**But Wood's still gonna be in trouble, you know. And you _still _don't know the prophecy! Mwahahaha! Oh well, I guess you'll just have to keep reading!**

**--Moonstar**

**P.S this is the longest chapter I've EVER written! YAY! Almost 3,000 words!**


	9. Recklessness

**Hey ya'll! Sorry for the wait. But today's a SNOW DAY! That creates unlimited writing time. Hence, another chapter. And the world outside my window resembles the snow covered valley of our story, which we shall pick up after the replies:**

**mysterys:** you think so? I'm actually indicisive on that topic... we'll see how the story unfolds.

**Pinefur of DragonClan: **thanks!

**Spiritwind of FireClan:** yay, snow day again! Woot! No school till Tuesday! Lots of writing time:D

**Shaded-Strike:** hmm... interesting idea. I'll definately consider it. Blindseer220 already suggested that Snowkit show up... I don't know if I want another Clan cat, but we'll see.

**I like my plushies:** that's also an interesting idea, but the problem with that is that Smokepaw is about Wood's age. Sorry if there was any confusion there. And I don't feel like making a complex family tree to relate them, since that's what I did in my other story (As the Wren Flies)

**Shadow of the Nights:** I'm taking the hint, really. But in case you haven't noticed, I barely have time to update my own stories, let alone read other ones. I'm getting there, I promise! Especially since you're such an awesome reviewer :D

**Blindseer220:** not just toms, but human boys too. (sighs)

**Miirah Konvidu:** on the main story page, or any page with stories listed for that matter, there's always a button next to the story title that says 'reviews' in red italics. Also, at the top of this page, click on the number of reviews and it'll take you to the review page.

**Sleets:** I'm a bit indicisive with that, as I said to mysterys... we'll see what happens.

**Peachfoot:** jeez, seems like Leaf and Smokepaw weren't very subtle, since the world is noticing... thanks for the review, by the way. :D

**.Skia.ex.to.astron.:** no errors? Cool! Thanks, stalker-- I mean, Skia!

**Chapter 9**

Leaf felt felt numb and cold as she passed in and out of consciousness, shivering inside Yellowroot's den. The herb cat, who'd heard from Stream about how Leaf had fallen into the water, was mumbling to herself about what an immature, impulsive cat Wood was. Didn't he know that he could have killed Leaf? Lucky Stream had pulled her out, or she might not even be here, huddled into a mossy corner of the den.

Walking back to camp, covered in snowflakes and still laughing quietly, Smokepaw and Wood literally walked right into a patrol of cats which was obviously meant to be the welcome wagon. Or the unwelcome wagon, in Wood's case. The cats seemed very hostile, even they were of Water Tribe.

"What's going on here?" inquired Wood as the cats circled around him and Smokepaw, who stood side by side at the center of the circle.

A large brown tom, sprinkled with snow, whom Smokepaw recognized as the reckless Mud replied. Smokepaw regarded him with disdain; he was the one who'd killed Grass as if he were just another piece of prey. "You know very well, you fishbrained piece of hawkprey. You have a little appointment with Whitewater as soon as your new friend is done. Now come with us, and you won't be hurt."

"I've done nothing wrong!" Wood argued. "Besides, what's the need for surrounding us and _threatening_ us? We're your Tribemates!"

Mud's eyes glowed with fury. "You are considered to be a very dangerous, reckless wildclaw, and can you blame us for thinking that? You nearly killed Leaf! And as for him," he flicked his tail at Smokepaw, who was remaining silent. "He has yet to become our Tribemate."

Yowls of agreement rose from the assembled cats, drowing out the low growl emitted by Wood. Apparently Mud was a very popular cat, Smokepaw thought, and everyone seemed to believe in his violent opinions. He also appeared to have something against Wood, but he didn't know what. Maybe it had something to do with his sister, Mud's mate, Amber? He glanced sideways at Wood, but his expression gave away nothing.

A brief silence fell upon the cats, and Smokepaw thought about what Blackstar and Russetfur would have done if someone had purpously pushed their Clanmate into the freezing river that snaked across a small part of their border with RiverClan. He realized with a chill that Blackstar may have exiled the cat... no, his leader had to have _some_ sense of humor, no matter how little. The cat, if a warrior, would probably be stuck doing apprentice duties for a moon, or if the cat was already an apprentice then their duty would be doubled. Right?

It was just then he realized how serious Wood's little joke was. Mud was right; had Stream not pulled her out immediately, Leaf might have died in the freezing cold water. He wondered if Water Tribe cats knew how to swim. As much as he disliked her though, Leaf's death would not have been a good thing.

Five cats, who had obviously been selected beforehand, made another circle around Wood, their teeth bared into snarls, hackles raised.

"You don't honestly want to fight me, do you?" Wood mewed, his steady voice wavering.

Mud laughed. "Of course not. We just don't want you to put up resistance when we put you in the prison den."

"Prison den?!" Smokepaw and Wood exclaimed at the same time. "C'mon," begged Smokepaw. "It was just a joke."

Mud glared at Smokepaw, along with many other cats, but Mud's burning amber eyes were the angriest. "Don't mess with us, new cat. Do you also want to become a prisoner of Water Tribe?"

"Mud!" exclaimed another cat. "Now that's going too far!"

The she-cat who'd spoken stepped forward. She was a pretty tortoiseshell, and looking at her, Smokepaw thought of Tawnypelt. Tawnypelt was another ShadowClan warrior, though she was not much older than him.

"That's Pine," whispered Wood. "She's Mud's sister." Smokepaw looked into her dark amber eyes, just like Mud's, and saw where she got her name, and definately how she resembled her brother.

"This cat might be the cat of the prophecy, and you're treating him like an enemy!" she meowed. "Stop threatening him and let him go to Whitewater already. She's waiting, you know."

Mud glared at her as the assembly of cats laughed quietly; he hated any dent in his pride. "Fine. Pine, Willow, Aspen, please show him the way to Whitewater's den."

"I can find it on my own," snapped Smokepaw.

"Alright, let me rephrase this," growled Mud irritably. "Pine, Willow, and Aspen, walk with him and make sure he actually goes to Whitewater's den."

"Well where else would I go?" demanded Smokepaw, hating Mud more and more by the second.

"Just come," whispered a pale brown tom beside him, silencing his retort by laying his tail over his muzzle, and lead him through the parting crowd of onlookers and cats of the patrol. "I'm Willow, by the way," he meowed quietly as soon as they were out of Mud's earshot, gazing at Smokepaw with kind pale green eyes. Smokepaw turned his head away. His friend was being accused of murder even though Leaf hadn't died, he himself was being threatened... he didn't have time to be nice to a seemingly oblivious trainee.

The cats surrounding Wood pounced, pinning the small tom down under their weight. Mud fastened his teeth on Wood's scruff. "No resistance, or I will be _very_ tempted to hurt you," he snarled through a mouthful of dusty brown fur.

Wood didn't bother struggling; he knew that Mud meant every word of his threat. He could only muse to himself as the cats surrounding him shoved him into the prison den where Grass had been kept, posting three guards outside the entrance. _Smokepaw was right_, he thought. _The word huge _was _an understatement in describing the trouble I'm in._ Curled up in the moss and his own musings and misery, it took him a moment to realize exactly what he'd just thought. _Smokepaw was right, the word huge is an understatement... his name is Smokepaw. Wait a minute; how do I know that? _He was sure that his new friend hadn't told him.

And what kind of name was Smokepaw anyway? Why not just Smoke... Smoke! Wood nearly burst into tears. There were times when he missed his brother so much. His familiar dusty brown pelt and his eerie smoke-shaded eyes were so comforting... and he would probably never see him again. If, by some chance, he wasn't dead, he was a secret prisoner of Ice Tribe.

He hoped that Smokepaw was the cat in the prophecy, because no matter what, they would send him out to complete it as they had with Smoke. Only Smoke wasn't the chosen cat, so he'd met his end.

"Be quiet!" yelled River, one of the guards outside. Wood sighed; he knew that Mud had been waiting for an opportunity to humiliate and capture him like this ever since the death of Branch, an Ice Tribe cat, many moons ago. Branch had just killed Yew, Mud's older brother from another litter, in a border skirmish. Water Tribe wanted Branch dead for it; after all, they used every excuse under the sun to kill Ice Tribe fighters. Wood, a newly named trainee, had been on a night patrol lead by Mud when Branch and a patrol of Ice Tribe cats leapt out of the shadows.

Wood and Amber, also a new trainee, had cowered behind Mud, thinking that as the leader of the patrol he would get rid of them. Being the young trainees they were, they always looked up to the stronger fighters. But soon they had Mud and Fern, Amber's mentor, pinned down. Amber was nearly in tears in terror, but Wood thought fast. The Ice Tribe patrol had ambushed them, remaining hidden in the shadows; well, two could play at that game. Wood had slowly slunk away into the shadows of the giant rocks where they'd been hiding. Without the slightest warning, he'd leapt from the shadows, scoring the neck of the fighter prepared to kill Fern. The green-eyed she-cat helped him fight the other cat off Mud, and they were soon free.

It had been rumored at the time that Mud had liked Fern, and that they might be mates. But that night, Fern could not stop talking about Wood's bravery and what a wonderful trainee he was. She reported that he'd saved the patrol, and he was the hero of the night. By morning the entire Tribe knew that Mud had been taken by surprise and pinned down, laying helpless at the claws of death, but had been saved by an unproven, undersized new trainee. Wood had saved the day (or night, in this case), and Mud's life.

Mud still tried to win Fern over, but that came to an end a moon later when Fern was killed in another ambush. That's when he fell in love with Amber, though she was still a trainee. The current rumor was that as soon as Amber became a fighter, they would have kits. But Mud never forgot his humiliation at the paws of Wood, although he'd saved his life. He'd always insisted that he could've freed himself on his own had Wood not interfered. He always hated the young trainee, his upbeat over-energetic personality, and his immature pranks.

Like pushing Leaf into Freezepool.

Wood sighed heavily through his nose, then curled up in the one mossy corner of the den. Mud could only keep him here until Whitewater found out, and he knew that his leader wasn't fishbrained enough to imprison him like he was from Ice Tribe for a simple joke. Right?

But at the moment, Whitewater could have done nothing, because she was waiting in her den for the mysterious new cat. He'd been with Water Tribe for three days, yet she'd only seen him briefly when he and Wood had captured Grass. But she'd heard something different about him from everyone. Stream reported that he was grumpy and easily annoyed. Yellowroot had told her in her mysterious voice that he was "a cat with potential who has yet to reach it". So naturally, she was curious and looking forward to meeting this strange young cat.

Unfortunately for the leader of Water Tribe, Smokepaw wasn't in a very good mood as Willow, Aspen, and Pine forced him into the den. Willow gazed at him sympathetically, then turned to follow his retreating companions. They knew that guarding the den would be an insult to Whitewater; she could easily control the reckless new cat, as far as they were concerned.

Smokepaw was in no mood to show respect to the leader. Whitewater sat calmly on the opposite side of the den, while Smokepaw stood in the entrance, his neck fur bristling, and his yellow eyes alight with anger.

"You may sit," meowed Whitewater. It was not a command, yet the tone in her voice made him feel like he had to obey. He slowly sat himself down, still bristling, his eyes burning into Whitewater's snowy pelt.

"What do you want from me?" Smokepaw demanded. The sooner he was out of here, the better. He needed to rescue Wood and get him out of that filthy prison den.

"Calm yourself," meowed Whitewater, in that same commanding tone. Smokepaw took a deep breath, and forced his standing fur to flatten, but still glaring at her with fiery eyes.

"You seem upset," stated Whitewater. Smokepaw groaned inwardly; her voice was really beginning to bug him. Her den was plain, just simple brown oak walls surrounding him. Yet Whitewater stood out like a cardinal in the snow, her white eyes fixed on him, watching him with endless patience.

"Of course I'm upset," snapped Smokepaw. "My friend has just been thrown into the prison den like he was nothing but a piece of foxdung."

Whitewater's unwavering gaze seemed confused for a split second, but when Smokepaw blinked it was gone. "Wood has been imprisoned? That is not what I ordered." She paused, gazing at Smokepaw, who was taking his turn at looking confused. "I told Mud to contain him, and make sure he didn't do anything else until I could see him. But I guess he would do something like that. I'm sorry we have to meet while he is imprisoned, but we cannot delay this meeting any longer."

Something about the way she said that made Smokepaw believe that she was right about the latter, and not lying about the first part. And it was clear to him that she would not allow him to leave the den until she had what she wanted. Smokepaw was not decieved by her calm demenour. He knew that if she wanted him dead, all she had to do was spring and tear out his throat, something she was perfectly capable of.

Yet he would not submit to her 'calmness' or to her authority. No! ShadowClan warriors never submit to _anything_. He merely narrowed his eyes, trying to look intimidating. "So what is it you want from me?"

"Your name, to start," she meowed.

Smokepaw let out an annoyed grunt; he hadn't wanted to tell anyone his name for some reason. But there was no lying; he knew that if he lied, Whitewater would sense it. So he took a deep breath...

"My name is Smokepaw."

For a moment, the world froze. Whitewater sat still as an icicle, and then she seemed to leap out of her fur. "Smokepaw," she repeated. "Smokepaw..."

Smokepaw didn't know what was so significant about his name... did it have to do with the prophecy? He hoped not. He didn't want to be a part of some mousebrained prophecy of a tribe he didn't even belong to and knew nothing about.

"Willow!" yowled Whitewater. A moment later, the pale furred trainee appeared in the entrance to the den, his head bowed. "Go fetch Yellowroot. Now!"

"Shall I fetch Frost as well?" Willow asked timidly.

"No! Just Yellowroot!" demanded Whitewater, sending Willow bolting away to do her bidding.

Whitewater hadn't seemed like a forceful leader before to Smokepaw, and he was still sure that she lead by kindness. She had been one of the few cats to hesitate to kill Grass, after all. So why did she just yell at Willow and scare him off?

There was something strange about his name, something strange about this prophecy. Just the mention of his name or the mysterious prophecy seemed to send the world spinning, turning it upside down and back again. He groaned inwardly. This battle for peace he'd wanted to fight with Wood had turned into so much more. There was treachery, war, recklessness, revenge, cold hearts against warm hearts in the freezing climate...

_Great StarClan_, he thought, _how did I get myself into this?_

**Poor Smokepaw, short term memory loss :D. Anyway, I'd like to give you a little key of Water Tribe diologue, just in case you didn't get some of it.**

**fishbrain- **mousebrain

**hawkprey- **crowfood

**wildclaw-** a viscious or reckless cat

**If there's anything you're unclear on that I left out, feel free to ask. Please review, and seeya next chapter! **

--Moonstar

P.S I hope to get the 100th review from this chapter... 100th reviewer gets a special prize! (ponders what the prize will be) hmm...


	10. The Prophecy

**Oh my gosh, it's already March! March means SPRING! But that also means it's been half a month since I last updated... darnit... sorry about that. Really. I promise that the next chapter will come less than two weeks after this one. But never fear, I haven't abandoned you! Heheh, now I feel all noble... (snickers)**

**Shaded-Strike: **calm, deep breaths... :) thanks for reviewing, and I hope you get a new chapter up soon too!

**WildTotodile:** mwahahaha, he's evil... or overly loyal. Take your pick.

**Song of the Rising Sun:** cool username :) thanks for the review!

**someone:** hmm... I wonder who you are...

**Flametail: **Firestar is my favorite character too, and personally I hate what Erin Hunter did to his character in the new prophecy (yes, I blame the author, not Firestar) but I still love him. And it took me awhile to get over my anger towards Brambleclaw, because in my opinion he _stole_ the main character role from the best character ever. I had Smokepaw wanting to kill him because as you said, that's what a ShadowClan cat would think... I think...

**Shadow of the Nights:** I think you'll be happier once you read this chapter. Dun dun dun...

**BlindSeer220:** too bad the cats don't have squeaky hammers. Oh well, I'm sure there are plenty of other things Smokepaw and Wood can find to hit him with... (hands Wood a giant tree branch)

**skia.ex.to.astron.:** your not crafty? I'm surprise. Most stalkers are pretty crafty so they don't get caught. But then, I guess I caught you, so never mind.

**mysterys:** thanks, I'm glad it helped.

**I like my plushies:** to be decided ;)

**RoseLizzi:** yes, Wood is going to die in there. NO! NEVER! Of course he's getting out!! I would never just leave him there!!! (cough) After all, what kind of story would that be?

**Kura Sumi: **thanks! Enjoy the chapter!

**Bramblekit:** yay, a new reviewer! Have you been reading all along and not reviewing? (glares) oh well, at least you reviewed this time :)

**And our 100th reviewer is... PINEFUR OF DRAGONCLAN!!!! (everyone cheers) This chapter is dedicated to _Pinefur of DragonClan _for writing the magical 100th review!**

**Chapter 10**

Frost was carefully placing a clump of marigold leaves in a cleft in the wooden walls by the entrance to the den when Willow bounded in. For the second time in as many days, Frost found his muzzle pressed into the ground and filled with dirt and a clumsy trainee sitting on top of him. Only Willow wasn't as clumsy as Wood - was that even possible?

"Get off me!" snarled the herb cat's trainee, not exactly in the mood to be trampled.

"Sorry," muttered Willow, lifting himself off his Tribemate.

"You'd better have a pretty good reason for charging through the entrance and bowling me over," spat Frost, glaring at Willow with his fierce icy gaze.

"A-actually," stammered Willow, "I have a message for Yellowroot. From Whitewater," he added for emphasis, and he felt like it made him seem more important. At least more important than the clumsy trainee Frost made him out to be.

"What does she want?" snapped Frost, trying to sound unimpressed, though his pride was obviously dented. Willow had a message to deliver from Whitewater, and therefore it was important.

"She wants Yellowroot to come to her den," mewed Willow. The normally timid trainee was gaining confidence. None of the other trainees liked Frost very much - the prickly herb cat always seemed annoyed at everyone, like he was better than all the other trainees, and normally Willow was rather afraid of him. "And she specifically said _only _Yellowroot."

The pale green-eyed trainee allowed himself a slight grin of satisfaction at the look that crossed Frost's face. There was a bright glow of irritation and anger, not rejection, in his eyes, and as a bonus his neck fur was standing straight up. "She's in Daffodil's den tending to her dislocated forepaw." He meowed shortly, then returned to placing herbs on the clefts in the wall.

This was Willow's silent invitation to leave, and he didn't need to be asked out loud. If he never had to spend time in Frost's company again, he'd be a very happy cat. But as it was, Frost would become the herb cat when Yellowroot died. He'd be relying on the irratable trainee to keep him healthy and safe, and even to recieve prophecies from Sky Tribe. He silently wondered if Sky Tribe would _want_ to deal with Frost. After all, who did?

As Frost had said, Willow padded into Daffodil's den to find Yellowroot trying to get her to eat a pawful of poppy seeds.

"It doesn't hurt that much!" protested the deep brown tortoiseshell. "Why do I have to eat those things?"

"It might not hurt now, but it _will_," Yellowroot meowed sternly. "And I don't want you begging me tomorrow for as many poppy seeds as you can eat. Willow, what do you need?" she asked without turning her head. Willow gazed at her in awe. She had a knack for knowing when certain cats were present without seeing them, and it would never cease to amaze him.

"Whitewater wants you," meowed Willow. "It has something to do with the new cat."

"Ah, of course!" exclaimed Yellowroot. "I must tell him the prophecy!" She dropped her pawful of poppy seeds at Willow's paws. "Get Daffodil to eat these, will you? I have to go." With that she darted away, leaving Willow alone with Daffodil.

_I'm not eating those_, read the look in Daffodil's flashing yellow eyes. Willow sighed. Why did she have to be so stubborn? And why did _he _have to be stuck with her? How come that _annoying_ Frost couldn't take care of the _annoying _senior warrior? Willow sighed again, this time much louder. It seemed like everyone was annoying these days.

OOOOO

"Wh-what's going on?" stammered Smokepaw, immediately regretting it. He'd just made two mistakes in merely three words. He'd asked a stupid question that would've been answered shortly anyway, _and _he'd stammered. Stammering showed uncertainty, and ShadowClan warriors had nothing to fear. Especially right now, he was everything but uncertain... right?

"Yellowroot will explain," meowed Whitewater mysteriously. "All in good time... Smokepaw."

Smokepaw gazed at her uneasily. There was something about his name that set her off. From what Wood said, his brother Smoke had had the same effect on them. He suddenly wished he had lied about his name. His eyes were yellow; maybe he could pretend his name had something to do with yellow. He racked his brain quickly. The sun was yellow... no, to boring. Leaf-fall leaves were yellow... yellow was yellow... he wanted to smack himself in the nose just for thinking that. Was he becoming a kit again?

What would Talonpaw do now? His brother would probably laugh at him and tackle him, dragging him into a playfight. He missed Talonpaw so much... that was it! Talons were yellow, at least somewhat.

"Actually," Smokepaw started, "My name isn't actually Smokepaw."

Whitewater whipped around to face him. "_What?_" she hissed, then seemed to calm herself. "You _aren't_ Smoke...paw?"

"Um... no," meowed Smokepaw, thinking fast for an excuse. "Um... Wood said that you were, uh, looking for a cat called Smoke, so I was... looking to win your favor, so you would let me stay in Water Tribe." Smokepaw silently congratulated himself on a reasonable lie, but realized too late that his little fib could have gotten Wood into even more trouble.

"So who are you? Where are you from?" Whitewater meowed quietly, fearing the worst. Could he be an Ice Tribe spy or an assasin? She'd just sent Willow away; she had no more guards. She silently cursed her rash action, unsheathing her claws. She'd been locked in many fierce battles with Ice Tribe warriors, and had never been beaten. But then, it only had to happen once.

Smokepaw saw her tensing, and immediately knew what she felt. It was ShadowClan instinct to be paranoid like that, to consider everyone a potention enemy. To show that he meant no harm, he took a small step backwards and bowed his head. "I'm not from Ice Tribe," he mewed quickly, and immediately saw her relax. But now he had to tell her where he was from. It would take forever to explain the Clans, and besides, would she believe him?

"I'm from... the Snow Ledge," he meowed, as it was the first thing that came to mind. And it wasn't totally false; he had come from a snowy ledge, after all, and he wasn't going to forget about it all to quickly. The cold had numbed the pain in his ribs and they were healing well, but he wasn't sure his broken paw would ever uncurl from his underbelly. He was getting along fine on three paws, but suddenly he longed to be standing on four again. He was sure that Littlecloud would have been able to fix it.

Whitewater gazed at him calmly, his signal to continue. "It's above the owl's nest on a vast snowy ledge," he meowed, slowly fabricating the story in this mind. "There were few cats there, all barely surviving off the scarce pray." Now, how did he end up in the nest? "One day, the owl attacked us. My clan - tribemates were all cowards, and they ran away with their tails between their legs. I tried to fight it; I would have been a hero, and we could have continued living peacefully. But the owl wounded me." He paused to brush his tail across the deep cut on his hind leg, caked in dry blood. "I staggered backwards and fell off the ledge. I landed awkwardly in the owl's nest; that's how I broke my paw and ribs."

Whitewater was nodding slowly throughout the whole story. Was she buying it? It looked like it to Smokepaw. Oakfur would have been proud of his quick story-making and straight face. He himself was quite proud; he especially liked the role of the sole brave warrior he'd given himself. "My name is Talon," he meowed firmly. "Since I have no way of getting back up to Snow Ledge and my Tribemates are gone, I ask for refuge in Water Tribe." He bowed his head, trying to avoid making eye contact with Whitewater should they betray his secret.

Before Whitewater could confirm that she believed his tale, Yellowroot bounded into the den. She seated herself next to Whitewater opposite Smokepaw. "Shall I tell him the prophecy?"

Whitewater nodded; her speechlessness was beginning to scare Smokepaw. She hadn't spoken since she'd asked him where he was from. Did she not believe him?

"_Falling smoke will shatter the ice and shaded talons will splash into water, and only one will remain._" Yellowroot meowed quietly, her eyes fixed on Smokepaw.

"What did you say your name was?" hissed Whitewater.

Smokepaw didn't know what to say. The prophecy had totally stumped him; he had no idea what it meant. What he got was that falling smoke would shatter the ice; maybe they thought that a cat named Smoke - or Smokepaw, would destroy Ice Tribe. So should he go back to telling them his real name? But then Whitewater would never believe him, especially after the elaborate story he'd told. No, he had to stick to his story.

"M-my name is Talon," he stammered, hoping he'd said the right thing.

Whitewater narrowed her snowy white eyes. Yellowroot gazed at him with an unreadable, mysterious expression. "Look at his shaded fur," she whispered to Whitewater. Smokepaw suddenly felt very... dark. His fur had been described in many ways before - black as night, dark as twilight, but never "shaded". It meant nothing to him; he didn't care about how his fur was described, as long as it didn't affect his immediate future. Unfortunately, it looked like it did. The Water Tribe leader's eyes narrowed even further.

"The shaded talons," hissed Whitewater as Yellowroot unsheathed her claws.

Smokepaw realized too late, as he went over the strange prophecy in his head, that it sounded like the "shaded talons" were going to "splash into water", something Whitewater and Yellowroot obviously interpreted as destroying Water Tribe. If he absolutely had to be a part of the prophecy, he'd wished he'd stayed the "smoke", because that seemed to be the good part. Too late now though. He felt like whacking himself across the face, something Oakfur or Russetfur would have done if they could see him now. He didn't even want to think about what Blackstar would have done to him.

"Have you ever heard this prophecy before?" demanded Whitewater.

"Umm... yes," meowed Smokepaw. Maybe they would think that he wasn't lying if he knew the prophecy. After all, if he really was the "shaded talons", he would act like he had no idea what they were talking about, right? It seemed logical enough.

"He lies," hissed Yellowroot, her yellow eyes flaring.

"Wood was helping you all along, wasn't he," snarled Whitewater. "_That's _why he was the only cat you would talk to." She took a dangerous step towards him, her clear eyes seeming to light up in fury.

Now he'd gotten Wood into this mess too! _This_, he thought, _would be a good time to run away._ The best warriors know when to turn and run, and this was definately one of those moments. He hoped StarClan would give him the strength to outrun any pursuers on three legs. Without second thought he turned and _ran_.

"Get him!" yowled Whitewater. "He's an Ice Tribe spy sent to destroy us!"

Obviously, many cats had been listening in on what was going on in Whitewater's den. All with blazing eyes and unsheathed claws, the took off after Smokepaw, who darted across the camp as fast as he could run.

"Attack!" yowled Mud, who'd been listening in. "Kill the spy! Ten mice to the cat who kills the spy!"

This time of year, mice were hard to come by. In Water Tribe every cat hunted for themselves, and it was hard for every cat to catch a sufficient amount of food for themselves every day. It was even harder for Mud, who had to catch extra food for his mate, who was expecting kits soon. He'd love someone else to catch ten mice for him; but so did everyone else in the Tribe. Mud's challenge soon had nearly every fighter who was able to run on Smokepaw's heels.

Including River, the prison den guard.

Wood had heard the commotion and chaos going on outside his prison. He didn't know exactly what Smokepaw had said, but he obviously hadn't told the truth. If he had, then the entire tribe wouldn't be out to kill him. Whatever was happening, Smokepaw needed his help. He heard River leave, and siezed his chance.

"He's escaping!" someone yowled, darting towards Wood. Wood nimbly dodged the elderly attacker, leaving him face down in the snow. But it was too late; he'd been seen.

"It's the traitor!" snarled Mud. "I knew it!"

"Bring me the spy dead," demanded Whitewater. "And bring me the traitor alive!"

Cats surrounded Wood on all sides, and out of the corner of his eye he saw another group chasing Smokepaw out of the camp. What had his new friend said to convince them that he was a traitor? He would never betray Water Tribe, even if they were treating him like a pile of foxdung. "I didn't..." he started, then realized it was no use. So he made the same decision Smokepaw had made moments earlier: he ran for his life.

Unlike Smokepaw, Wood knew the territory well. He weaved his way through the snow, and seeing a heap of snow that looked too deep for a cat to walk through, he dove right in. Just as he suspected, the snow had iced over, leaving a narrow hiding place inside.

"Where'd he go?" hissed Pine, her whiskers nearly brushing Wood's as she passed the hole which he'd made as he dove into the snow. Wood curled into as tight a ball as possible, feeling the snow collapse around him. He knew the tiny cave wouldn't collapse, but at least the snowflakes would camoflauge him.

"Probably hiding somewhere like the coward he is," snarled Aspen, her lips drawn into a fierce snarl. "And I'll bet that spy friend of his helped Grass hurt Cypress, those _viscious wildclaws!_" she swiped the air in fury, as if Wood or Smokepaw was standing before her.

"Well, he wouldn't dare come back to camp," stated Dandelion. The yellow-eyed tortoiseshell would have looked exactly like her sister, Daffodil, if not for the white blotches that covered her back and one ear. "He'll probably run to Ice Tribe, and they'll kill him. If he comes back to us, Mud will see to it that he dies. If he stays out here, he'll freeze and starve to death. Either way, he's a dead cat."

"Let's go back," meowed Pine, trying to sound firm but shivering slightly. "I'm cold, and Dandelion's right. He's dead no matter what he does, so why waste time looking for him?"

There were mews of agreement from the assembled cats, each starting back towards camp following Pine and Dandelion. "I hope they caught the spy," whispered Dandelion. "Whitewater'll be disappointed."

As it was, the "spy" was still running for his life, holding up well for a cat on three legs. He took a sharp turn to the right, and he almost grinned with satisfaction as he heard cats skidding away from him as they struggled to stop. Almost. But now wasn't exactly the best time to grin.

The ShadowClan apprentice snarled with frustration; there was nowhere to hide! He cursed the blank white landscape. In ShadowClan territory, he could have easily scampered up a tree or hidden in the undergrowth. But here, not only was there no growth whatsoever, but his black pelt stuck out like a sore paw in the blur of whiteness. Or should he say "shaded" pelt. _Why _was he such an _idiot_? He'd gotten himself _and _Wood into this mess. He'd seen a group of cats chasing Wood, and hoped ferverently that they hadn't caught him. He'd blame himself if Wood died.

_Wait_, he thought. _Shouldn't I be concentrating on my own survival right now? _

He veered off in the direction he thought he'd seen Wood go, thinking that maybe he'd meet up with his friend might help him in some way.

"I've got you, spy," snarled Mud, lunging at him. Smokepaw put on an extra burst of speed, leaving Mud to pounce on a patch of air and land head first in the snow.

That bought him time, but now much. He was sure that he was done for; his three paws couldn't hold up much longer. Just when he thought he'd have to surrender and collapse, he felt a pair of teeth fasten to his hind paw - his injured hind paw, he realized with a burning pain - and drag him into a hole in the snow.

Was that even possible, a hole in the snow? Apparently it was; Smokepaw found himself in an extremely tiny hole in the snow, surrounded by walls of snow that had iced over, leaving the small icy cave. If you could call it a cave. He felt hot breath pouring onto his neck, and the frost coated fur of another cat brushing against his back. Was this it? Had he finally been captured, and was this strange ambusher going to murder him? Probably. Oh well - if he was going to die, he was going to die with dignity.

He turned his head to look the cat who'd dragged him into the cave in the eye, prepared to stare fiercely to the death, and found himself gazing into a pair of worried amber pools.

**Wow, Smokepaw and Wood are in even more of a mess than before! Well, now you know the prophecy. Sounds pretty cool, huh? Well now the title has a purpose. Not that I have an unchangable plot planned out or anything; I can still listen to the reviewers, and I _do _take plot suggestions. Just letting you know. So, hope you liked this nice long chapter; I think it was long enough to make up for the wait. Anyway, hopefully see you soon, and I'd appreciate your reviews! **

--Moonstar

P.S. This chapter set a new record for longest chapter I've ever written: 3,400 words, 3,000 counting the author's notes and replies. YAY!


	11. On the Run

**Okey dokey! Welcome to the newest chapter! Here are my replies: **

mysterys: just so you know, I absolutely suck at killing off characters I love. As it is, I've fallen in also fallen in love with Wood :) I know, I know, it wouldn't be a good story if no one died... but I don't have the heart to kill Wood. Yet. (snickers)

**Strangefur:** thanks! I also the think the prophecy sounds pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

**Flametail:** here you go!

**Shadow of the Nights: **my original intention was to make her nice, kind of Bluestar-ish, but she didn't really turn out that way, I suppose. I don't really like her that much either anymore... maybe I should kill her (smirks and laughs evilly) hehehee beware the power of the author...

**Peachfoot:** good guess but no, Leaf's eyes are green, remember? I think I said that somewhere, but maybe I forgot... anyway, the answer is a lot more obvious. More obvious than I normally make things, so I guess I did a double negative or something, if you know what I mean.

**I like my plushies:** thanks!

**BlindSeer220:** I was hoping that _someone_ would appreciate the slight humor... I mean, I wasn't trying to make anyone laugh out loud, but there were parts where I hoped you guys would giggle a bit :D

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** well, being the super special 100th reviewer you are... (grins) maybe I'll try to give Pine a bigger part... I need to decide if she's good or bad though... how does neutral work?

**Redfur: **thankies! I added suspense to the genre.

**Spiritwind of FireClan: **bu. I'll claw you back, and then I'll take a picture of you grinning happily and edit Dragonclaw into it. (smirks)

**Shaded-Strike:** update soon? Or else what? I still have your voodoo doll...

**Aviation:** thanks for the review!

**RoseLizzi:** hey, what fun would it be if he _didn't_ get himself into a big mess?

**WildTotodile:** you bet :) a bit of Smokepaw musings coming up, thinking about what Oakfur and company would've thought. :\

**Kura Sumi:** (laughs) bad Kura Sumi (do you have a warrior name to call you by?)! Don't get yourself in trouble... you're sounding like Spiritwind. She gets banned from the computer every day... and then _I_ have to type of the chapters of our story that she wrote.

**Faunamon:** good guess. I actually like it, but unfortunately, that idea didn't even occur to me. I'll consider what you said though...

**A/N: I'm sorry if these review replies annoy you. Don't read them if you want. I like it better than PMs, but whatever. Anyway, I think it's unfair to you guys to have the replies take up half the chapter, so just letting you know: I'm trying to make every chapter at least 1,500 words NOT counting the replies and author's notes, preferably 2,000 and up like in this chapter, or maybe even 3,000 like last chapter :)**

**Chapter 11**

"Wood?" whispered Smokepaw, gazing into the trainee's amber eyes.

"Smokepaw!" gasped Wood in relief, licking his friend between the ears.

"Keep quiet," Smokepaw cautioned, and nothing more needed to be said. Wood felt Mud's set overwhelm him, and that of a few more of his tribemates. The two friends sat still as stones, barely breathing, until the scents left and they could feel pawsteps retreating and Mud's extremely annoyed growl.

Wood stretched out as much as he could in the tiny space. His worried expression quickly changed to one of annoyance and anger. "What in Sky Tribe's name did you say to Whitewater?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea what kind of mess you've dragged me into?"

Smokepaw was irritated by Wood's sudden change of emotion, but more by the fact that Wood was blaming the whole escapade on him. Sure, it was his fault... but being a ShadowClan cat, he refused to take the blame.

"Me?" he growled. "It's _my _fault? Before you blame me, look and your insane, paranoid and completely mousebrained leader!"

"_What_ did you say to her?" repeated Wood, his eyes glowing with irritation and impatience.

Smokepaw didn't reply. He didn't want to admit his fault and tell Wood about his stupid mistake. He remained silent, staring down at his paws. Then something occured to him; what had Wood said to him when he'd entered his little hiding place?

"Are you going to answer?" demanded Wood. "Answer me, Smokepaw!"

Smokepaw stared at the trainee in awe. He'd called him Smokepaw... "How do you know my name?"

Now it was Wood's turn to pause awkwardly and stare down at his paws. "I was daydreaming in the prison den, and musing about what a mess _I'd_ made, and I thought of what you'd said about me getting into trouble... and I thought of your name. I don't know how I knew..."

Smokepaw stared at him awkwardly. What explanation was there for Wood knowing his name without him telling him? What excuse was there for what he'd done? What would Oakfur say? So many questions, so few answers... he thought of Oakfur scolding him, telling him that he made to many mistakes, dragging him off to Blackstar to be punished. In his mind, Russetfur was laughing at him as Blackstar growled in his face, shoving him in the direction of the elders den and their ticks, and mouse bile. Talonpaw was curled up next to the fresh kill pile with Applekit, whom the apprentice had taking a liking to. Talonpaw's soft yellow eyes met his own, and his brother gave him a shrug of sympathy, and then started to playfight with Applekit.

Smokepaw also thought of Tawnypaw. He hadn't thought of her in a while. After she'd gotten her warrior name... she'd seemed different. She wasn't as playful, and she worried a lot more about her brother Brambleclaw. Tawnypaw had been a friend of his... a very good friend. When Tawnypelt had disappeard, he'd been heartbroken. But his heart mended, and when Tawnypelt came back from her strange journey a totally different cat, Smokepaw hardly cared. He tried to convince himself that Tawnypelt could jump off a cliff for all he cared, and it worked. He didn't care for the warrior Tawnypelt, only the apprentice she'd left behind

Leaf reminded him of Tawnypaw a bit. She was stubborn and pretty, and he could tell that Leaf was also brave. Except Leaf didn't have Tawnypaw's sense of humor. She'd gotten all worked up about being pushed into Freezepool; then again, it _could _have killed her.

_Wait, why am I thinking of Leaf?_ he scolded himself. _There's no way I'm going back to Water Tribe, so I'll probably never see her again. She doesn't matter anyway._

"Are you alright?" asked Wood, gazing at Smokepaw with almost the same concern he'd shown the afternoon they'd met in the owl's nest.

"Yeah," Smokepaw meowed. "I just need to get out of here. You think it's safe?"

Wood nodded, and Smokepaw squeezed out of the small ice cave with Wood right behind him. The small dusty brown tom shook his pelt free of all the snowflakes, showering Smokepaw in the white powder. Smokepaw frowned slightly, but couldn't help but laugh at the way Wood's fur had been messed up by his shake and being crammed in the hole.

"What, my fur is funny?" laughed Wood, trying to flatten his ears, but failing because of the fur sticking upwards. "You don't exactly look like a bundle of flowers."

Smokepaw would have loved to stay around joking with Wood, he really would have. But a cold shiver raced through his body, reminding him that they needed to find a real shelter, fast. In fact, they needed an actual plan.

"So what do we do now?" asked Smokepaw, totally at a loss. Wood knew the territory better than him, and maybe he'd have an idea. "Ice Tribe wouldn't take us, would they?"

"No," replied Wood almost immediately. "They'd either kill us on the spot or hold us hostage, and turn us back over to Water Tribe, and then we're still dead."

"So what do we do?" repeated Smokepaw in frustration.

Wood took a deep breath. "To be honest," he mewed quietly, "I don't know."

OOOOO

"What is it, Duskroot?" meowed a dark gray tabby, seated in the shadows of his den.

The small tom, covered in random blotches of black, brown, white and amber fur, bowed his head. "I sense the Chosen, my Leader," he whispered.

"The cat to save us or to destory us?" asked the large tabby quietly.

"I do not know," replied Duskroot. "My advice, great Stoneice, is that we seek him out and capture him. If he is a threat to us, then we'll kill him. If not, we shall destroy Water Tribe once and for all."

Stoneice nodded. "Good idea. I'll lead the patrol myself."

OOOOO

Pine's patrol and Mud's followers returned to camp at the same time. Pine searched the other group of cats for a smoky gray pelt being dragged along by the scruff, but all she saw was the black pelt of Birch, a senior warrior. Had they not caught the spy?

Mud searched the other returned cats for a small, limp dusty brown tom being held still by two stronger warriors, but was rewarded with no such sight. The other group seemed just as dejected and upset as his. Had they not caught the traitor?

Pine met Mud's eyes, and immediately knew that he was thinking the same thing.

Whitewater was going to be _very _disappointed.

Frost came out of the herb den with a few random berries and leaves in his jaws. "Anyone injured?" he inquired, though one look at the returning cats told him that they were cold, weary and irritated - or in other words, they hadn't found what they were looking for. They certainly wouldn't be in the mood to put up with him.

"Go away," snapped Mud, confirming Frost's analysis. Frost gave Mud a sharp glare that rivaled the notorious fierce-eyed stare of Mud, and backed away into the herb den.

"Where's the spy?" demanded Whitewater, emerging from her den. "And where's the traitor? I want to kill him myself!"

Pine exchanged a glance with Mud. The tortoiseshell she-cat took a small, almost unnoticable step backwards, indicating that Mud should speak. The dark pelted tom groaned inwardly, but he knew that if he ever wanted to be leader he needed to be able to address his fellow fighters and Whitewater. He'd speak first, but that didn't mean Pine wouldn't have to be humiliated as well.

"We haven't caught the spy," growled Mud. "I almost had him, and he narrowly escaped. I don't know what became of the traitor," he added with a smirk. "He _should _have been easier to catch."

"And why is that? Because the traitor has four legs and the spy has three?" retorted Pine. "If _I _had been chasing the spy, I would have had him. He's slower, and you had the advantage because _you _have _four_ legs."

"Are you saying that you caught _neither of them_?" snarled Whitewater, her clear eyes seeming to light up in fury.

Pine and Mud stared speechlessly down at their paws, which was all the answer Whitewater needed.

"Get out of my sight, all of you!" she shouted. The assembled cats didn't need to be told twice; they all scampered off in different directions, not wanting to be in contact with their enraged leader. When every cat had either disappeared from sight or made themselves look busy nearby, the leader of Water Tribe turned to Yellowroot.

"Come to my den," she meowed and stalked off, not even checking to see if her herb cat was following her.

Willow watched as they stalked off, thinking about Wood. He had kind of liked the energetic trainee, and didn't want to believe that he had betrayed Water Tribe. He sent a silent prayer to Sky Tribe that he and the strange smoky cat would be alright, and maybe they would still come back to help destroy Ice Tribe.

He saw a figure emerging from a sturdy oak tree which served as the nursery. The entrance was shrouded in brambles, and a light-ish brown she-cat squeezed her way through. Her bright amber eyes were gleaming with worry as she staggered over to Willow, slowed down by the weight in her belly.

"Where's my mate?" she asked Willow. "Where's my brother? Is everything alright? I heard a lot of noise, and Whitewater yelling."

_She must have been sleeping... and sleeping pretty deeply_, Willow mused. _How could she not know what's going on?_

"Well, Mud's alright," Willow meowed, "He's just in a bit of trouble with Whitewater," he couldn't resist adding. Willow wasn't exactly Mud's biggest fan, especially after he'd shut Wood up in a prison den for giving Leaf what she'd been asking for for the past ten moons.

"What about my brother?" she asked quietly. Willow studied her carefully - she must know that he was in trouble, she just wasn't aware of how much.

"I'm sorry, Amber," he started, and immediately realized that that had _not_ been a good way of doing so. Amber's bright amber eyes brimmed with tears, making them sparkle in the dimming sunlight.

"Is he dead?" wailed Amber.

Willow sighed. "Worse." Amber burried her face in her chest, letting her fur muffle her sobs. Willow sighed again, wanting to cuff himself over the head. He need to _much_ more tactful in approaching these situations. He certainly wasn't doing a very good job of breaking the news.

"He got chased out of camp," meowed Willow, trying to sound as calm as possible. "They think he betrayed us because his new friend, the mysterious smoky tom, was found out to be a spy."

"But Wood would never betray us!" cried Amber. "Where is he now?"

Willow was getting fed up with Amber. She was such a sob story - she got upset with everything. She didn't talk much with Wood, and had barely paid any attention to him after Yellowroot had confirmed that she was carrying a litter, and now all of a sudden she was going crazy. _She's like a leaf_, thought Willow. _She changes directions like the wind._

Before Willow could answer the teary-eyed young she-cat, Mud came up behind him. "He's out there somewhere," he growled. "And let's hope he isn't for long. If he knows what's good for him, he'll just die quickly. It'd save us a lot of trouble." He brushed Amber's flank calmly. "Come, you shouldn't be outside. Don't worry yourself, just get some rest. Forget your brother - he's nothing but a traitor. Besides, Yellowroot said you should get some sleep; the kits will come any day." Amber's tears evaporated, and she let herself be ushered off back into the nursery.

Willow glared after them. He uttered another silent prayer to Sky Tribe and wondered, not for the first time, why everyone was so annoying.

* * *

**Dun dun dun... what are Duskroot and Stoneice plotting? What'll Wood and Smokepaw do? What will the insane Whitewater do to get them back? Hmm... you don't know! Guess you'll just have to keep reading, and don't forget to review!**

**Moonstar**

**P.S Also, would anyone be interested in beta-ing this story? I know I make a lot of spelling mistakes and since I use Wordpad, I don't always catch them. Besides, I'd feel really official and cool if I had a beta ;)**


	12. Dream Realm

**No, you're not imagining things, so don't waste your time pinching yourself. Yes, this fic has been updated! I am very, VERY sorry for the long wait, really. Sometimes life gets in the way, you know? Thanks to everyone who has remained a faithful reviewer despite my... (cough) slight failure to update quickly... blame school!! (mob of readers attack my school with pitchforks and squeaky hammers)**

**mysterys:** it never said that... (cough)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** thank you for the very descriptive review :D

**Wildwhisker:** yeah, I know that Erin Hunter is really two people, and I was very disappointed when I found out. This just makes my job harder when I go out to attack them and steal Warriors from them. Sue me.

**Aviation:** I also don't like Amber now. I actually intended for her to be a bit more... composed. But then, my characters' personalities never turn out the way I intend, but they are cool all the same :o)

**I like my plushies:** thanks!

**Shaded-Strike:** you know I can't tell you, right? You'll just have to read the chapter.

**Flametail:** you wouldn't have to give away your email; don't think I'm giving mine either. I'd do it through private messaging... see my note on betas at the end of the chapter. I have enough text before the actual chapter as it is ;P

**Shadow of the Nights:** thanks for the review. And I'm getting to reading your story, by the way. Wait for it... wait for it... screw school.

**Kura Sumi:** ok, um, Softpaw/Littlepaw/Mouseshadow/Rainstar/Frozenflower/Iceheart/Starflight... cool names :D

**Faunamon:** you sound like me and my strange liking for Brackenstar (cough) I mean, Brackenfur... tehee we'll see...

**Oceanwind:** nice to hear from you again :P Thanks for reading this story!

**Spiritwind of FireClan:** Amber's a female dog? I don't know what you mean. This is a cat story... (cough) wow, I must be coming down with a cold; I'm coughing a lot today... maybe it's just because I'm hyper.

**.skia.: **sorry, too lazy (again) to write out your full username. I know, I should put a little more effort into replying to my most loyal stalker but hey, I'm lazy. If I wasn't lazy, I would have updated this fic sooner.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, and I also do not own the squeaky hammers mentioned in the author's note above. Kudos to Blindseer220 for creating yet another way for me to happily show my hyperness._

**Chapter 12**

Smokepaw should have seen it coming; but he didn't. He didn't even have time to silently berate himself as three pairs of claws latched onto him and once, dragging him to the ground, batting at his head and clawing out his fur until all feeling left his body, and the blackness eating at the corners of his vision overwhelmed him.

"Get the other one!" snapped a gruff, commanding voice.

Blood dripped from a gash caused by a sharp claw that had torn at Wood's side, but the small, swift tom slipped away like a fish. His attacker had fallen head first into the snow, and had soon recieved a punishment of angry yowls and threats from the commanding voice. If the owner of that voice was who Wood thought it was, then he meant every word of those threats.

He wanted to just run away - it would be so easy. He could easily give his pursuers the slip and hide in another ice cave, or even just outrun them. But then where would he go? Besides, he couldn't leave Smokepaw. Just _why _he couldn't leave Smokepaw was a mystery to him.

This was the cat who'd gotten him into this mess; because of Smokepaw, he was an outcast of his birth tribe, doomed to wander in the snowy wilderness until he froze to death or until Ice Tribe stained the snow with his blood or Water Tribe came to retrieve his dead body. But despite that, Smokepaw was his friend. How, he didn't know. But Wood was loyal to his friends, and he felt a strange connection to the ShadowClan apprentice. When he'd learned his name, he'd instantly thought of his lost brother, and he felt like Smokepaw might be the cat to avenge Smoke and fulfill the prophecy.

And so he had to save him.

He was running in the wrong direction, with a whole pack of Ice Tribe fighters on his heels. Without warning, he changed directions, darting right through the mob of surprised fighters.

"Fishbrains!" hissed the icy voice, a sound that froze Wood to the bone. "Must I do _everything _myself?" He leapt in front of Wood, his fur bristling and his body crouched in a fierce fighting stance.

Wood skidded to a halt, frozen by the hypnotizing ice blue eyes. That confirmed his greatest fear; those eyes, those freezing eyes... it was Stoneice, leader of Ice Tribe. He was a dead cat for sure.

"Relax, I'm not going to kill you," snarled Stoneice. Wood snapped out of his trance, and lowered himself into a fighting crouch of equal ferocity.

"What do you want with us," hissed Wood, not as a question but as a statement. "We aren't on Ice Tribe territory - in fact, _you're _trespassing."

"And who's going to report our trespassing to Whitewater?" asked Stoneice mockingly. He lifted himself out of his fighting stance and stood to the side, clearing the way for Wood. "Go on, run and tell her."

Wood didn't budge. There was no way he was going back to Whitewater. But maybe, just maybe, he _might _have moved had he known that he was playing right into Stoneice's paws. But there was almost nothing on Earth that could have made him return to Water Tribe. Besides, they wouldn't believe him.

Stoneice's eyes glimmered with triumph. "I knew it," he meowed with sick happiness. "The two of you are outcasts of Water Tribe, are you not?"

Wood was speechless. How could he have known?

Stoneice gazed at the trainee mockingly. "Really, it wasn't hard to figure out," he meowed with satisfaction. "Duskroot sensed that the Chosen was near, and when we saw two cats, one we were sure we'd never seen before, wandering around like half-dead squirrels in the snow, I figured that you'd been chased away from Water Tribe because they discovered that the Chosen was not sent for them, but for us." His condesending tone increased as he continued to speak. "You seem to be strangely loyal to him; I suppose that's why you're here. Haven't you figured out that he is the shaded talons, you stupid trainee? He isn't going to help you or your tribe at all; he's here to destroy it. Not that you care - it seems like you're never going back."

Wood glared at Stoneice with pure hate in his eyes. This cat had taken his brother from him, his new friend, and now maybe even his life.

"What did I say about killing you?" meowed Stoneice. "I'm not going to; you might be useful in _persuading _the shaded talons to aid us. But enough of my talking. You look tired - maybe you should get some sleep. Sand, Oak, Reed; you know what to do."

Wood whirled around and, to his credit, managed to give Reed a nice gash outlining his left eye before Oak tackled him from behind, and the three cats tore the consciousness out of his desperate, frozen paws.

OOOOO

Frost had been trying to take a nice nap, away from the commotion and chaos that was Water Tribe camp. He'd curled up in his corner of Yellowroot's den, where he knew his trainer would leave him alone, and pulled a large burdock leaf over his ears. But even a willowy burdock leaf lying across his ears, rising and falliing with each one of his breaths, couldn't shield him from Sky Tribe.

The light gray tom was padding through an eerily silent, empty Water Tribe camp. He wondered where all the noisy, crazy cats had gone, and subconsciously remembered that he was dreaming. He pushed that thought away; it was too realistic to be a dream. Dream, reality, how ever he'd gotten there and whatever it was, he just wanted to return to his nap. He padded back over towards his den, but before he reached it, a black tom covered it dark brown blotches emerged.

"Wh-who are you?" stammered Frost. He'd never seen the amber-eyed tom before. Maybe he was an Ice Tribe trespasser? Though something told him that he wasn't, and a strange force kept him from attacking.

"My name is Earthroot," the strange tom meowed calmly, a comforting tone seeming to fit naturally in his voice. "You may have heard of me from your trainer, for I was the one who mentored her."

Earthroot... yes, Yellowroot _had _mentioned him. He was her trainer, many moon cycles and cold winters before Frost was born. But he very rarely heard about him; Yellowroot really only said his name when she mumbled in her sleep or on days when she was frustrated for whatever reason.

But then it hit him; wasn't Earthroot dead? And what did the dead herb cat want with him? Why did it take him so long to think of these questions? Why didn't he have any answers?

"You're in the dream realm of Sky Tribe, young trainee," meowed Earthroot, as if reading Frost's thoughts; but in this strange world, maybe he actually was. "This is where we bring cats we need to speak to. Though because you've never been here before, the surroundings may take a little while to get used to, and your mind might function slower."

_Great_, thought Frost sarcastically.

"No, it's not great," meowed Earthroot. Frost jumped, his neck fur standing on its end. Earthroot laughed, the comfort in his tone totally gone.

"You're reading my mind!" snapped Frost.

"I thought you were intelligent; that's why Yellowroot picked you," retorted Earthroot. "If you were intelligent at all, you would have figured that out by now."

Frost glared at Earthroot, who he belatedly noticed was shimmering with a strange blue light, and he was slightly transparent; not that he cared. In this place, anything seemed possible. The shining blue light and the transparency probably had to do with the fact that he was _dead_, or in Sky Tribe, to be fair. Not that he wanted to be nice to him and give him unnecessary compliments; he was really beginning to dislike the former herb cat.

"Dislike me all you want, but I'm here to help you," meowed Earthroot, causing Frost to glare even harder. "And by the way, unnecessary compliments are not necessary to boost _my _ego."

"Are you going to stand there and insult my thoughts all day or are you going to tell me why I'm here?" blurted Frost in exasperation.

All of a sudden the air around Earthroot changed, and he was the calm, comforting cat again. Frost wondered if he was schizophrenic, then suddenly regretted thinking it, knowing that Earthroot was reading his thoughts.

"Even I am sometimes unstable in the dream realm," he meowed softly. Frost stared at him in true bewilderment, with no more explanations or even a sarcastic thought.

"I understand your confusion, young trainee," meowed Earthroot, "But some day you will understand."

"A-are you going to give me the help you mentioned?" stammered Frost, feeling like he was walking on crunchy leaves in Ice Tribe territory.

"Of course," mewed Earthroot. "Join me in my den - or your den, as it is now."

"It's actually Yellowroot's den," meowed Frost uncertainly.

"Not for long," declared Earthroot as if he was announcing he'd found a stick on the ground; it wasn't important at all.

"She's going to die?" Frost gasped.

"Do you want my help or not?" snapped Earthroot.

Frost flattened his ears, then flattened the rest of his body on the ground. "I do."

"Alright then. I have a little message for you." He paused, leaving an awkward silence.

_Get on with it_, thought Frost.

"Fine then, I will," replied Earthroot, leaving Frost seething. "Sky Tribe sent me to tell you to give you this message: What appears as a talon may on the inside be smoke."

"_What?_" Frost exclamed. "What's _that _supposed to mean?"

Earthroot shrugged. "Figure it out. That's the point of being an herb cat, isn't it?" And with that, the shimmering former herb cat disappeared.

Frost woke with a start. Sweat matted his fur, and had melted the ice beginning to coat his pelt. He greedily gulped in breaths of fresh air.

As he calmed down, his thoughts returned to his dream. It was obviously more than just a dream; he'd been given a message from Sky Tribe! The only problem was that he had no idea what the message meant, and he certainly didn't want to speak with Earthroot again.

* * *

**Hmm, what did Earthroot's message mean? I'll bet you know; we just have to wait for Frost to figure it out. And don't you love Earthroot? I meant to make him all calm and mysterious, but like I said, characters never turn out the way I planned. Besides, I liked the little schizophrenic twist ;P**

**Note on betas: for those of you who don't know, a beta is basically a proofreader or an editor. I thought it might be cool to have someone like that, and I might send a future chapter to Spiritwind, but otherwise I think I'm good, unless someone complains about my horrible spelling mistakes ;D. Thanks to everyone who volunteered, though! See you all next chapter!**

**--Moonstar**


	13. Smoke Within

**Ok, I'm updating sooner than I thought. I wanted a special 13th chapter for Friday the 13th, but I felt guilty leaving you guys waiting. So guilty, I wrote an extra super long chapter for you ;P And don't worry, there will be a special Friday the 13th chapter. O.o**

**Shaded-Strike:** yay Earthroot indeed. You just gave me an awesome idea! See the author's note after the replies.

**Oceanwind: **that's not how I would have phrased it (laughs)... well put. Eww, scrambled brains...

**mysterys: **O.o are you like, the head of the Mafiya or something? ...COOL! So you can hire people to pummel people... hehehe fuuuuun. XP

**Faunamon: **woah... I'm flattered. Really, I am. Thank you. Hmmm... I wonder what this story would look like printed, but you'll have to ignore all the author's notes... I have all the chapters saved in Wordpad. Do you want me to put them all into one document for you minus the author notes and replies?

**Pinefur of DragonClan: **I definately agree. I love Earthroot :D see the note at the end of the replies.

**Shadow of the Nights: **isn't Wood awesome. He steals the scene from everyone, even Smokepaw, who I've decided is really cute and cuddly (despite his objections).

**C.T Eleczko: **tehe, sorry about that. Though I swear this is my original idea, and I didn't steal it from anyone.

**glowingnarya: **never assume. ;o)

**Peachfoot: **ok, now I'm going to answer the question you asked... NO! Hehehe, I'm sorry, can't answer anything, you'll just have to read the story. Or get an audio recording of it. Good luck with that. XD

**Flowerpaw: **I'm too nice with cliffies. _Some_ people (glares at Shaded-Strike) have not only a cliffhanger at the end of the chapter, but manage to get _three _different cliffies into one chapter! At least I don't end _every _chapter with a cliffie (throws spitball at Shaded-Strike) And at least I don't end chapters like Spiritwind, with wolves... well... creating life. XP

**Kura Sumi: **oops, sorry about that. I should have had a definition or something. I will at the end of the replies. Hehehe, I'm glad you laughed though. And I will refrain from putting a "XD" at the end of this reply because I did it for all the others... (resisting)

**Mossbelly: **congrats, 150th reviewer!! Thanks for the review.

**BlindSeer220:** I tried to tell her, because I'm impatient too. I attacked her at lunch (I love maccaroni and sporks... -- everyone runs away --) and she always gives me the same answer. Stupid Spiritwind is always getting her mom mad, so she gets computer bans, and can't even get online to apologize or answer the email I've piled into her inbox. Oh well. Talk to her mom.

**.skia.:** still too lazy to write out your name... next chapter, I promise XD. Anyway, thanks for the compliment on the writing. I was proud of that line, since I normally _don't_ write like that... but I thought it portrayed Wood's emotions at the moment. And I didn't want anyone to forget how cold it was, and I was afraid that people might be forgetting that they're in a cold, snowy environment. Anyway, I'll bet you can write like that... I'll have to go stalk your stories to find out. (Adds stalking Skia's stories to mental "to-do list")

**_schizophrenic_ - when someone has two different personalities.**

**Plushies! All reviewers for Chapter 12 get a limited edition virtual Earthroot plushie!! (pictues Earthroot plushie)...weird...**

**Chapter 13**

Wood woke in a small den. He opened his eyes wearily, stiffly standing up to survey his surroundings. He stretched his aching muscles and waiting until his vision was no longer blurry to look around. He was surrounded by hard gray rock walls, which immediately told him where he was. Ice Tribe camp. The prison den, more specifically.

The Water Tribe camp was made from trees; all the dens were in trees, and the camp was surrounded and protected by trees. So just as Water Tribe used trees, Ice Tribe used rocks. Wood had been to their camp once before, when his patrol was taken hostage. He barely remembered the appearance of the camp, but he knew that it was surrounded by rocks the way his own camp was surrounded by trees, and all the dens were small caves within the snowtipped rocks.

He groaned, feeling pain shoot into his limbs. He collapsed to the ground, searching his body for wounds. Sure enough, there were cuts and scratches all over him from his fight with the Ice Tribe cats who'd knocked him out, and other various cuts from being dragged - presumably without great care - to the Ice Tribe camp.

He suddenly wondered how he'd gotten knocked out; a few cuts and scratches wouldn't do it. As if on cue, a jolt of pain shot through his head. He gently placed a paw on his forehead, right between his ears. He felt something hot and sticky - his blood. His paw came away with scarlet liquid decorating the soft strands of dusty brown fur. Grossed out by the sight of his blood drenching his paw, he licked it furiously until his light brown paw was only slightly tinted red, and then tried to wash the coppery taste of blood from his mouth.

Well, now he knew how he was knocked out.

Wood's vision started to blur again, and he lay still on the hard, icy ground. At least the Water Tribe prison den was somewhat comfortable, with a layer of dead crusty moss covering the ground. Here the ground was only layered with ice, tinted crimson by his blood. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, wondering if he would survive to see what Ice Tribe wanted with him.

It took him a while to notice the cobwebs hanging in the back of the den. Sighing with relief, his dragged himself over to them, and grabbed a clump by the muzzle. He spread the cobwebs out on the ground, and carefully placed his head on them. He pressed lightly so they would stick, and lifted his head slowly to make sure they didn't fall off. His makeshift treatment made him feel somewhat better, and soon after he fell into a troubled sleep.

A short while later, Duskroot came in to make sure that the hostage was alive. He wouldn't be very useful dead. He was satisfied to see that he was smart enough to use the cobwebs he'd left him, but hadn't done it very well. He straightened the cobwebs and added a few extra so he couldn't see the blood leaking through, silently berating Sand for scratching him so hard. Not that the cats dragging his limp body to the camp had been careful; that couldn't have helped. Not that the herb cat cared. All he wanted was to destroy Water Tribe, and if the stupid, small sized trainee could help, then he would have to stay alive until he was no longer of use.

He returned quickly to his own den to make sure that the Shaded Talons was alright. Smokepaw was curled up on a pile of soft dirt where Duskroot normally slept. The cats who'd dragged him down had made sure not to hurt him too much, and Oak had hit him in the head with a_ sheathed _claw to knock him senseless. This might have resulted in a throbbing headache, but was easily cured by a pawful of poppy seeds and a few cobwebs to the slightly deeper scratches carved into his smoky gray pelt. Stoneice made it clear that he wanted the Shaded Talons to be as comfortable as possible, and not to know the details of his capture. He needed to think that Ice Tribe were his friends.

Duskroot gently unfolded the paw Smokepaw had delicately tucked into his chest. He bent it carefully. It was clear that it had been broken, but it seemed strong enough for the Shaded Talons to walk on it now. Good - he'd be more powerful that way. He'd just have to be careful as he got used to walking on four legs again.

Everything was going as planned. When Smokepaw woke up, he'd be taken to Stoneice to confirm that he was the Shaded Talons. Stoneice would befriend him, and then they would being planning the downfall of Water Tribe. If for some reason Smokepaw refused to cooperate... well, that's where the Water Tribe trainee would be of use.

In Ice Tribe, the icy land occupied by the two Tribes was known as the Snowlands. He had no idea what Water Tribe called it, and he didn't really care. The herb cat's tail swished in anticipation. Soon there would only be one tribe in the Snowlands.

OOOOO

Willow glared at Frost as he tried to extract the thorns from his fur. The two of them were alone in Yellowroot's herb den, though Willow would have prefered the company of anyone _other _than Frost.

Willow had been on a hunting patrol when the fox returned. Pine and Willow's trainer, Birch, had immediately leapt on it. While it was distracted, Birch yowled for Willow to run back to camp and get help. Lucky for Willow, Birch and Pine were able to kill the fox on their own, because the somewhat clumsy and panicked trainee had run right into a thorn bush. Not lucky for Willow, he'd been stuck there until the two blood soaked fighters returned and found him in his little predicament, and managed to rescue him while lecturing him on paying more attention and how they could have been killed because of him.

"Ow!" growled Willow as Frost pulled another thorn out of his back. "Do you have to do it so hard?"

"Shut up, or it'll never be done," snapped Frost, who seemed to be in his usual bad mood. "I don't suppose you want thorns in your fur for the rest of your life."

"I don't suppose you want thorns in your fur for the rest of your life," mimicked Willow irritably. "You're acting like _you _have a thorn under your tail... ow!"

Frost snickered as he made sure to pull out a thorn behind Willow's ear out extra hard. The complaining trainee was beginning to bother him. "Ever since Wood left, you're sounding more and more like him every day, you know that?" he meowed in annoyance. "You mimick me, you insult me when I'm trying to heal you, and you even manage to knock me over when you run into camp."

Willow sighed. He never acted the way he was at the moment unless he was around Frost, who he loved to bother. Frost _did _act like he had a thorn under his tail, and got irritated so easily. Wood had felt the same way about the herb cat's apprentice, and Frost had taken an extreme disliking to him, and now to Willow as it appeared.

"You talk about Wood as if he's a traitor," snarled Willow. He didn't like it when the other cats talked about Wood like that, when he knew in his heart that his fellow trainee was innocent.

"He is," replied Frost. "Didn't you see him run from camp like the coward he is?" Though the herb trainee's words were hallow, and Willow could see the wavering in his ice blue eyes.

"You don't believe it," stated Willow.

Frost sighed, his wall of irritability and snappiness fading. Willow had never seen him like this before - he looked like he actually _cared _about a cat other than himself. "You're right, but don't repeat that," he whispered. Willow nodded; the secret was safe with him. "You don't believe it either," Frost accused, though his tone wasn't really accusing. Willow nodded again, beginning to feel like a boneless pigeon.

"We have to do someting," mewed Willow quietly. "Wood's innocent... though I don't know about his yellow-eyed friend."

"I do," meowed Frost suddenly. He'd completely abandoned pulling out the thorns. "He's innocent too; in fact, I think he's the falling smoke." Willow's eyes widened, in awe and curiousity.

"H-how do you know?" Willow stammered.

Frost paused, and for a moment he and Willow were frozen in time. Then Frost glanced out the entrance to make sure no one was coming, and turned back to he patient. Without warning, he lunged at Willow and forced him against the wall, holding a claw to his throat.

"Let go of me!" choked Willow in confusion. "Why..."

Frost tightened his grip on the pale brown trainee. "You must _never _repeat what I'm about to say to you," hissed Frost. Out of breath, Willow nodded numbly, and Frost dropped him. The pale green-eyed tom collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"What was that for?" he panted.

Frost glared fiercely at him. "I needed your word," he stated simply. "I can't have anyone else knowing about this, or they'll think I'm a traitor and chase me out as well."

Willow glared back, though it was hard to glare with his soft green eyes. Frost ignored the glare, and splayed out next to him. "I had a dream from Sky Tribe last night," he began. All traces of anger disappeared from Willow's eyes, and was renewed by curiousity. He sat down next to Frost, silently begging him to continue.

"It was Earthroot, the herb cat before Yellowroot," meowed Frost. "And let me tell you, he was crazy. Not just fishbrained - I mean totally insane. But it didn't matter how crazy he was, because Sky Tribe sent him. Our ancestors have a strange sense of humor, I guess." He paused as Willow let out a slight giggle, but quickly quieted himself. He wanted to hear about Frost's dream, and aggrivating him might prevent that.

"Despite that, they always know what they're doing," Frost continued. "That fishbrain Earthroot kept reading my mind and trying to get on my nerves - " Willow snickered. Frost glared at him. "_Anyway_, he kept trying to get on my nerves and he seemed like a schizophrenic nutcase; one minute he was all nice, the next he was getting on my nerves again." He glowered at Willow to keep him from snickering again. "But finally, he got his message across." He paused for the dramatic effect.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not?" demanded Willow impatiently. Ruining the effect. Frost sighed; did he have to ruin everything?

"If you insist," he meowed flatly. "The message was, _what appears as a talon may on the inside be smoke_."

Willow might as well have exploded. "I know what it means!" he yowled, springing up into the air, nearly bumping his head on the ceiling, then proceeding to hop up and down on his nimble paws.

"_Shhhh!_" hissed Frost. "Are you _trying _to give us away?" He peered out the entrance, but fortunately no one had heard and no one was coming. "You _know _what could happen if anyone knew about this conversation."

"Sorry," Willow meowed quietly, slumping back down to the ground. "I was just excited. I know what it means."

"Me too," retorted Frost. "It wasn't that hard to figure out." He neglected to add that it'd taken him a whole frustrating, sleepless night to understand the meaning.

"So Wood's innocent," Willow meowed, excitement returning to his voice. "And not only is the spy innocent, but he's the cat destined to save Water Tribe!"

Frost nodded. "So the question is, how do we prove it? How do we get him back?"

Willow deflated; he was stumped. "I-I dunno..." he paused. "Maybe we can start by finding some cats who'll believe and help us?"

Frost laughed. "Are you kidding? The rest of the Tribe wants to drag them back to camp and watch Whitewater sink her teeth into their throats. No other cat in Water Tribe give a piece of foxdung for their lives."

OOOOO

Leaf rested her head on her paws and sighed heavily, enjoying the solitude of the ground below Halfcedar. She had run away from camp to calm her mind; she needed time to clear her thoughts. Literally. There were thoughts swarming her head that she would have liked to just run away and never bother her again.

Why couldn't she stop thinking about that smoky gray tom? He was nothing but a filthy spy, right? Yet something inside her begged to differ. Sure he'd been rude and annoying, but when she was with him on the tour, he didn't seem at all threatening. No matter how much he tried.

Also, spies want to be inconspicuous, right? Well, he had certainly drawn a large amount of attention during his stay. If he was a smart spy, he would have been quiet and polite, and made friends with Whitewater. But then, maybe he was a dumb spy.

There was one fact, though, that in Leaf's mind confirmed his innocence. _If _that cat was really the Shaded Talons, he wouldn't have told Whitewater. He couldn't possibly be _that _dumb. And besides, if he was the Shaded Talons, what would he be doing in Water Tribe? Wouldn't he want to go to Ice Tribe and get an army together so he could fulfill his destiny and whatnot? That's not to say she thought that he was the Smoke, as the rest of the Tribe had originally thought; she didn't know _what _he was. All she knew was that he was innocent, and that the glimmer he got in his yellow eyes when he was angry was kind of cute...

_No it isn't_, she told herself sharply. _There's nothing _cute _about that spy..._ she sighed. _I hope he's alright._

She had a feeling that both he and her least favorite trainee, Wood, no matter how annoying he was, were innocent. If only any other cat would believe her.

* * *

**Well, I hope you liked the long chapter! Sorry for the lack of action, but it was needed. Willow and Frost are getting a plot going; I'm beginning to like them more and more XD even Frost. He's so prickly, yet so cute (pinches Frost's cheek) (Frost bites my finger) Ow... anyway, see you next chapter.**

**--Moonstar **


	14. Unlikely Three

**I promised a Friday the 13th chapter and a quick update, didn't I? So here it is! For those of you who haven't reviewed the previous chapter just because this one is out... please do so... actually, I'm not going to bother you, because you reviewers have been absolutely awesome. Kudos. Now I'm not going to mention reviewing for a _very _long time.**

**Shaded-Strike:** hehehehe... Frost is awesome. I didn't originally intend on making him awesome... but he just became that way. Go Frost!

**Blackpelt:** well, we're happy to have you! Everyone, say hello to Blackpelt, our newest reader! (HI BLACKPELT!) Just a few warnings, though: Frost bites. Smokepaw bites. Smokepaw scratches. Frost attacks with sarcasm. Words are sharper than sticks and stones... I think I had to much chocolate too... especially in the chapter where I introduced Wood and he bowls over Frost... XD

**Peachfoot:** yeah, I guess he's a bit like Crowpaw... except he's Frost :D He's just cool like that.

**Mapleleaf:** sure. Here ya go.

**I like plushies:** niiiice... I wish I could rhyme...

**BlindSeer220:** I checked my email today and found it filled with replies to all the emails I've sent to Spiritwind in the last two moons. Yay. She says she feels sad because she hasn't updated. I wanted to cuff her. SO UPDATE, YOU MOUSEBRAIN! Sorry... XP

**Shadow of the Nights: **grumps are cool. Frost is a grump too... but he's a _cool _grump.

**Oceanwind:** you know, you're right. I wanna give him a piece of my mind. (glomps Frost) (Frost glomps Oceanwind) Oh well, at least he didn't glomp me... (gloms Moonstar)

**Kura Sumi:** she is confused. Poor Leafy.

**Faunamon:** that's why I love Frost and Wood. They make me laugh... and hopefully you too ;D

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** yay, plushies!

A/N: I had a lot of trouble uploading this chapter. The document manager wasn't working, but I _did _promise a chapter, so I got around it by exporting Chapter 13 and pasting Chapter 14 into it. I felt really clever for a minute, and then I realized that the formatting was all messed up. Chapters 13 and 14 were mixed together, random parts were in bold and italics... it was _really _weird. I tried to edit out all that weirdness, and I think I got out all parts of chapter 13... but it you see random parts in bold or italics or improper formatting, ignore it, k?

_Today's plushie is a Smokepaw plushie, since it's Friday the 13th. That must have something to do with the evil document manager. And Smokepaw counts as a black cat in my book. I mean, isn't he unlucky enough?_

**Chapter 14**

Smokepaw sat before Stoneice in the shadows of his den, just as he'd sat before Whitewater what seemed like moons ago. But this was a lot different. First of all, chances were he wasn't going to survive this meeting. Second, he had no idea where he was. Third, he had no idea where Wood was. He felt somewhat guilty; his friend could be dead. He had no time to dwell on his dark thoughts, however, as Stoneice began to speak.

"Welcome, Shaded Talons," meowed Stoneice darkly. Even within the shadows of his den, the Ice Tribe leader seemed to have a shadow of his own surrounding him. "Do tell me, what is your name?"

Something told Smokepaw that his real name wouldn't go over well. If Water Tribe had been so enraged when they heard his name was Talon, then maybe that was just what Ice Tribe was looking more. He bowed his head and meowed, "Talon, at your service, mighty leader of Ice Tribe." He tried not to spit out the words as they left his mouth, loathing every single one of them.

Stoneice's yellow eyes seemed to sparkle in the darkness. Smokepaw idly wondered why he wasn't named after the color of his eyes, and then remembered something that Wood had told him on their private tour.

_In Ice Tribe, they name cats for their pelt color, Wood had explained. For instance, even if a cat is white but has brown eyes, they'll still be named after their white pelt. Isn't that weird?_

This was what Smokepaw was originally used to; back with the Clans, most cats were named after the color of their fur. But he'd gotten used to cats named for their eye color, so it seemed a bit strange that Stoneice was named for his solid stoney gray pelt.

Stoneice chuckled hollowly. "No, dear Talon. We are at your service. You are the cat we've been waiting for, for generations. You are the Shaded Talons who will destroy Water Tribe."

The prospect seemed to give him great pleasure, as if he was resisting clapping his paws together in glee. Smokepaw fought the urge to spit in disgust and claw his face off. He was worried about Wood, and decided that it was a good idea to ask about his friend while he was in Stoneice's favor.

A part of him told him not to ask about Wood; it would put himself in more danger. Oakfur would have told him to just forget about the trainee and keep himself safe. But Wood had had the opportunity to get himself out too, and he hadn't. He'd let his Tribe think he was a traitor, and as he slipped into unconsciousness during the ambush, he had seen Wood coming back for him. So now he had to go back for Wood.

"Great Stoneice," he meowed, still trying to butter up the leader of Ice Tribe, "Where is my friend, the Water Tribe trainee? Have you killed him?"

Stoneice gave Smokepaw his hollow laugh again, giving the ShadowClan apprentice the chills. Smokepaw still wanted to lunge at him and slash his eyes out.

"Don't worry, Talon, he's not dead. But if you don't help us... he will be."

Smokepaw sprang to his paws, fur bristling and teeth bared. "What have you done with him?" he hissed.

Stoneice gave him _that laugh_, but Smokepaw stood his groud. "Where IS he?" he snarled.

"He's in the prison den, and don't worry, he's alive," meowed Stoneice. "We may let him live if you destroy Water Tribe."

Smokepaw sat back down, trying to calm himself. There was nothing he could do for his friend at the moment, and would destroying Water Tribe really be that bad? Besides Wood, he hated mostly all of them, especially Whitewater and Mud. But then, he wasn't Stoneice's biggest fan either. But if he said no, they'd kill Wood, and probably him as well. That made up his mind.

"I'll help you," he meowed grudgingly. "Tell me what you want me to do."

Stoneice's eyes lit up. He looked like he was about to laugh again, but to Smokepaw's relief, he didn't. "I'll send you with a patrol of our warriors tomorrow to the border," he meowed. "Water Tribe always goes by there with a patrol at around sunhigh. We've been watching them for many moon cycles, and Duskroot has even figured out a pattern to their patrols." This time he did laugh. Smokepaw didn't flinch, though he scolded himself on thinking that not flinching was an accomplishment of any sort. "Tomorrow will be the perfect time to attack, because if the pattern holds, then Mud will be leading the patrol. He has a position of power in Water Tribe," he added.

Smokepaw began to think that it wouldn't be so bad after all. He wanted nothing more than to take a swipe at Mud's head and claw it off.

"The rest of the patrol should be made up of cats who don't matter so much," meowed Stoneice idly. "Should be a senior fighter - we don't know who - and another fighter with a trainee. We think we have those two figured out."

"Who?" asked Smokepaw out of curiousity. He was awed that Ice Tribe had been smart enough to figure out a pattern in the patrols, and thought it humorous that Whitewater had devised one. Not that he'd put it past her.

"No one you should be concerned about," meowed Stoneice, and Smokepaw could hear his tail swishing against the icey ground. "Just the young fighter Stream, and her trainee... hmm, I don't remember her trainee's name, but it doesn't matter."

Smokepaw shivered, and it wasn't because of the cold. He knew the trainee's name.

Leaf.

OOOOO

Frost padded slowly up to Willow's den the next morning. He needed to discuss a plan with the trainee...

"Frost!" yowled Yellowroot, bounding over to him. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to go find some more juniper berries."

Fortunately, Frost had been prepared for this. "I'm going to finish treating Willow," he meowed with his usual lack of enthusiasm. "The stupid trainee ran away before I was done with the thorns." To prove this, he showed her the cobwebs draped over his muzzle and the marigold leaves between his teeth.

Yellowroot nodded. "You have short patience, young one. I'll get the juniper berries. Good luck." And with that she bounded off, leaving Frost to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

"Nice," meowed Willow, emerging from his den. "Smart of you to actually bring the herbs. I suppose you'll be the one doing to plotting."

"I suppose so, because if I let you do it, the whole Tribe will know about it within the next hour," snapped Frost. "It _might_ be smarter to go into your den before we talk."

"Oh, right," meowed Willow, shuffling his paws. He really needed to watch his mouth.

Leaf watched as Frost and Willow padded side by side into the latter's den. Didn't they hate each other? Maybe Frost was just finishing treating Willow; yes, that must be it. Besides, she was too preoccupied by her own thoughts to pay any attention to them.

She turned around to go find Stream; she had wanted to train before they went on patrol at sunhigh. Whitewater's pattern made it so that they only had to go three times each moon, and every cat did it the same number of times. But before she could find Stream, Yellowroot found her.

The smoky grey herb cat spoke in her usual calm yet mysterious tone. "Hello, young one," she meowed to Leaf. "Can you do me a quick favor?"

"Umm, I was about to go train," meowed Leaf uncomfortably, beginning to get a bad feeling about Yellowroot's "favor". Why was that? What was wrong with helping out her herb cat? Isn't that was trainees did - help out their elders?

"Don't worry, young Leaf," mewed Yellowroot, "It will only take a moment. Take a piece of fresh-kill to Frost, will you? Poor cat was up all night and I believe he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning."

Leaf's initial reaction was no way. She didn't want to be anywhere near Frost, who always found reason to yell at her, and he was probably already in a bad mood since he was treating Willow. But then the second part of Yellowroot's statement hit her - he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning? Why not? Poor cat was right... maybe _he_ needed a herb cat, and Yellowroot was too busy with tracking the spy and the traitor to notice.

"Alright," she meowed, somewhat reluctantly. Yellowroot nodded and padded away to take care of some important business unknown to Leaf, and Leaf didn't waste time staring after her. She ran to her den to pick up a piece of fresh kill for Frost, choosing a large vole. In Water Tribe there was no fresh kill pile - every cat hunted for themselves, except the herb cats, whom the Tribe fed. Frost normally ignored this rule and insisted he could hunt for himself, and just because he was an herb cat didn't mean he was weak, and given the chance he would prove that to an Ice Tribe fighter.

Trying to balance the brittle, frosty vole in her jaws, she walked over to Willow's den.

"So anyway," Frost was whispering to Willow, "If the spy and Wood are both innocent, then..."

Leaf stopped in her tracks just outside the entrance.

"...we have to bring them back. Especially if the spy is really the Falling Smoke."

Leaf's breath caught in her throat.

"But how are we going to do that?" Willow replied. "You already rejected my first plan..."

First plan? How long had they been meeting like this?

"Your first plan was stupid," spat Frost. "You wanted to find other cats in Water Tribe who believed they were innocent. That's completely fishbrained. The rest of the Tribe can't wait to watch Whitewater sink her teeth into their throats."

Leaf shuddered at the image.

"What about Leaf?" asked Willow. Leaf nearly leapt out of her fur, thoroughly startled. Why were they talking about her? Sudden realization hit her like a hailstorm: they must know about her treacherous feelings. They must know that she thought that the traitor and the spy were innocent. Was she really that obvious? She gulped. If they knew, who else knew?

"What _about_ Leaf?" Frost snapped. "She's just a goody-goody trainee. What do you want with her?"

Leaf let out a sigh of relief. Willow must be the only one who suspected her, and no one would believe _him_, a young and clumsy trainee.

"You hadn't noticed?" mewed Willow. "After she and the spy went on the tour together, they looked like they were made for each other." He giggled with amusement. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she loved him. And if that were the case, she would believe he was innocent."

Leaf's heart skipped a beat, freezing and burning at the same time.

"That's dumb," meowed Frost dully, popping Willow's bubble of happiness. "Why would Leaf love that spy? She hates him!"

That was too much for Leaf. Her anger suddenly bubbled to the surface, a mixture of her own confusion and anger at Frost's comment. Without thinking, she leapt into the den, her eyes flashing with fury. Her mind didn't know how she truly felt, but her heart did. "I don't!" she yowled, her fur bristling, dropping the vole as she parted her jaws to speak.

A pair of ice blue and pale green eyes widened and stared at her. Leaf's anger dissolved as quickly as it had surfaced, and she blushed under her fur. Not only had she just intruded on their private conversation, but she'd embarrassed herself.

Frost and Willow continued to stare at her in confusion and fear, afraid that she'd found them out and would turn them over to Whitewater. Leaf awkwardly picked up the vole she had dropped, and laid it at Frost's feet. "Umm... Yellowroot said to bring this for you," she meowed shakily.

Willow laughed hesitantly. "Why would your trainer send you fresh kill?" he asked Frost.

"Because he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning," replied Leaf snappily, breaking up the awkward moment.

Willow whirled around and glared at Frost. "You haven't eaten? Why not? If you get yourself killed, who'll help me prove..." he trailed off, realizing that Leaf was still there. "How much of our conversation did you hear?" he asked quietly.

"Almost all of it," replied Leaf, feeling ashamed. "And everything you said about me."

There was a long pause. Then Willow spoke hesitantly. "So... is it true?"

Leaf nodded numbly. "I think they're innocent... but I'm not sure if I love him."

Willow shrugged. "That's good enough. It means you can help us." He turned back to Frost. "And you still haven't answered my original question, you stupid furball."

"Stupid furball yourself," spat Frost. "I wasn't hungry."

"I can understand that," meowed Leaf to no one in particular.

There was another long pause.

"I have to go," meowed Leaf. "I'm on sunhigh patrol."

Pause.

"I'll come too," meowed Willow. "We still need to talk... and besides, it's on the Ice Tribe border, right?" Leaf nodded. "Well, we wouldn't want to loose one of our only supporters," he added with a wink.

"I don't need protection," snapped Leaf, turning to leave.

"You should come too, Frost," Willow mewed, ignoring Leaf.

"You'll mess up the pattern!" Leaf protested, not sure that she wanted the two toms following her. "Besides, I don't need protection."

"We're not protecting you," meowed Willow. "We just need to finish talking. Besides, there's strength in numbers. I'll ask Birch if I can go."

"And I'll say I need to go with you to finish treating you," meowed Frost.

Leaf sighed. "Alright... let's go."

The unlikely threesome was padding out of the den when Willow stopped in his tracks. "Wait," he meowed, turning to Frost. "First you have to eat that vole."

* * *

****

Dun dun dun... here comes the Save Smokepaw Squad! And Wood... though his name doesn't begin with an S. XD Hehe, I like those three. They'll make a good team, and they'll entertain me. And you. ;)

And when Leaf said, "I don't!", what did she mean? Did she mean that she didn't love him, or she didn't hate him? Hehe, that's for you to interpret. For me to know and you to find out. XP

--Moonstar


	15. Frosted Roots

**Hello! This update was rather quick, considering my usual speed. Yay me! Also, updates are getting slower this spring because I have to come home and do my homework as fast as I can so I can watch the Marlins game. Yeah, I'm a crazy Marlins fan, and no, I am not some sort of idiot who just pretends to like a team. I love my Marlins and I know **_**everything **_**about them. Don't believe it? Try me. Anyway, since its the weekend, meaning no school, this obviously creates extra time.**

**Oceanwind: **noooooooo, not moldy pancakes, please!!! Heh, Frost in a superhero suit... (gets bashed by Frost)

**Nameless Nightmare:** It's nice just to know you're there. Thanks for the review.

**mysterys:** yay, you're back! I was missing you :P and if there were no cliffies... well, what kind of story has no cliffies?

**Blackpelt:** I love hyperness. I was pondering this chapter in the shower, and I pictured a little scene later... hehehe... and I was going insane... and my mom came in to see if I was okay... hehe.

**Faunamon:** thanks for pointing out my spelling error. I like it when people read close enough to spot those things. I, um, did that on purpose just to see if you would.

**Moletail Of the Squeaky-Cats:** yay, a new reviewer! Thanks for hopping aboard, Moletail!

**Strangefur:** thank you. That's one thing I really try to work on: character development. I want you guys to really get a sense of the characters, and I hope you do.

**Shaded-Strike:** I reviewed your newest chapter... I forget what I said, but I assume I was hyper. Good luck reading it.

**-TwincestOnAFlute-:** and _another _new reviewer! Thanks! Hugs and cookies for you!

**BlindSeer220:** dun dun dun... I'll bet you're right XD and by the way, Spiritwind updated. _Finally_. And she says that you take longer so you shouldn't be talking.

**Flametail: **'tis alright. Glad to have ya back.

**Mossbelly:** yes, they do. I'm in love with them now. I hope I don't have to kill anyone...

**Shadow of the Nights:** wouldn't it be? I wonder if I can get that in. Well, have fun with this chapter. And the one after this. That's when the fun begins... (snickers)

**Rabbitstorm:** read and discover. No, I'm not a librarian, though I sound like one. The librarian at school scares me. Spiritwind says she's a vulture. I think she's a chipmunk. Take your pick.

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** it just works, doesn't it? Now think of something with three W's for Wood.

**Flowerpaw:** sorry if it wasn't clear (I thought it was), but Willow is a _tom_. I'm pretty sure I've called him "pale-eyed tom" or "brown furred tom" more than a few times and refered to him as a he; tell me if I'm wrong.

**RoseLizzi:** sorry about the confusion. I don't know where you got that but no, Leaf is safe and sound here in Water Tribe. For now... (grins evilly)

**Kura Sumi:** thankies!

**Mapleleaf22:** good luck with the new username. I hope you write a few stories for us!

**Chapter 15**

"Really, Dandelion, you should rest," Willow meowed with as much concern in his voice as he could muster.

Dandelion shook her tortoiseshell head. "Thanks for your concern, but I must go on the sunhigh patrol. I can't mess up the pattern," she meowed.

"But Dandelion, you're worn out from caring for Amber, aren't you?" he mewed. "Besides, her kits are expected any moment; they could come while you're on patrol!"

The senior warrior laughed lightly. "What are the odds of that, Willow?" She stretched her legs and let out a yawn. "Though now that you mention it, I do feel a bit tired..."

"I have an idea!" Willow mewed, trying to hide the anticipation and desperation in his voice. "I'll take your place on the patrol!"

Dandelion's eyes wavered; she wanted to accept Willow's offer, but it was her duty as a member of Water Tribe to go on the patrol. "Thank you for the offer, Willow, but I really should go on the patrol..."

"Help!" came a shout from a nearby den. Daffodil, Dandelion's sister, came running out of Amber's den. "Amber's in pain!" she yowled with panic. "The kits might be coming!"

"See?" meowed Willow, but Dandelion barely heard.

"I'm coming!" she meowed and ran off after Daffodil. As she was about to dart into Amber's den, she turned around and called to Willow, "You can take my place on patrol. I'm needed here. Take care!" And with that she disappeared into Amber's den.

Willow's pale green eyes glowed with triumph. He stalked over to the herb den, where Frost was attempting to convince Yellowroot to let him go on the patrol as well.

"But Yellowroot," Frost complained, his voice still firm but on the verge on a whine. "I'm still not done with that dumb trainee's thorns."

"You can finish later," snapped Yellowroot. "You've been missing your duties, Frost. And what were you doing in Willow's den all that time I was picking the juniper berries that _you _were supposed to fetch?"

Willow's heart skipped a beat. Would Frost come up with a reasonable excuse in time? _Of course he will_, he convinced himself. _This is Frost, the irritating herb trainee who always has a snappy retort on the tip of his tongue._ He just hoped that Frost wouldn't say, w_hy do you care_? because that would _really _give them away.

"Picking the thorns out of his fur," Frost meowed with a low growl. The growl of annoyance was so real, Willow had to wonder if actaully was. He wouldn't put it past him.

Yellowroot eyed Frost suspiciously. "Very well. It doesn't matter what you were doing then, but you are _not _skipping your duties today. We are going to spend all day today restocking, starting with the patch of merigold leaves over by Thornthicket." Willow groaned. Not Thornthicket. The large patch of thorn bushes on the far side of the territory was the somewhat clumsy trainee's worst nightmare; he got caught in the thicketse every time.

Frost was silent, though inside he was bristling with anger. Yellowroot always took advantage of him, made him do whatever she wanted, and always had an unspoken threat behind her words to make him obey her. For instance, he knew that if he didn't listen to her now he might be in for a day of confinement to the camp. "Is that clear?" snapped Yellowroot.

"Fine," Frost meowed flatly, afraid that if he kept arguing that Yellowroot would get suspicious.

The icy-eyed trainee stalked angrily out of the herb den, muttering to himself. "Old rat," he spat as he nearly walked right into Willow.

"I'm not coming," he growled. "Don't ask." Willow didn't need to ask, but even if he had, he wouldn't have. Even though he was now on friendli_er_ terms with Frost, that didn't make them absolutely friendly. The pale-furred trainee knew when not to mess with the cat he'd once considered an enemy.

Willow went back to Leaf's den, where he found her grooming herself. "Frost can't come," he informed her. "Yellowroot's being a... an old rat."

Leaf gazed at him questioningly. "She's really getting to Frost," he explained, "And we're afraid that she might even be suspicious."

"What do you mean, _getting to Frost_?" Leaf asked, standing up and brushing herself off.

Willow shrugged. "Have you ever noticed that Frost generally does whatever she asks?" Leaf nodded. "But does Frost strike you as the kind of cat who does whatever he's told?"

The meaning of what Willow had just said struck both cats at once. Even Willow had never thought much of it; after all, as far as he was concerned before, Frost could fall straight into the Thornthicket and he wouldn't care. But now he sort of, _kind of_, considered Frost a friend.

"I wonder what Yellowroot does to him," Leaf meowed quietly. "Though she does seem to look after him... she sent me with that vole to give to him."

"He didn't even eat it," Willow muttered. "He ran away when I tried to get him to eat it."

Before Leaf could answer, she heard Stream's yowl coming from outside. "Leaf, c'mon! We have to go!"

"Let's go," Leaf meowed. "We can worry about Frost when we get back."

Willow nodded. "For now, let's just worry about Wood and the Falling Smoke, alright?" Leaf nodded uneasily; both of them wanted to go find Frost. Willow groaned inwardly; just a few days ago, he was a carefree trainee, but his list of cats to worry about was quickly growing. Starting with his friend Wood, which was alright, but then the spy, and now Frost, who he used to avoid at all costs to also avoid a stinging insult. Apparently there was more to the icy trainee than met the eye.

Willow padded off after Leaf and met Stream at the edge of camp. "Mud's not coming," the gray fighter meowed. "Amber's kits are coming, and..." she trailed off, noticing that it was Willow following Leaf and not Dandelion.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, glaring at Willow. She didn't like annoying trainees, such as Wood and Willow, very much.

"I'm taking Dandelion's place," Willow meowed quickly. "She's feeling tired, and she's helping Amber."

Pale green eyes met deep blue. Willow stared at Stream, unwavering, as if in an unannounced staring contest. Finally Stream looked away. Willow had won. "Fine," she meowed. "We need to get going now anyway." She sprinted ahead without warning, setting a quick pace.

"She always does that," whispered Leaf, panting, as she and Willow struggled to keep up with her trainer.

_I just hope it's alright that I'm the only fighter on this patrol, _Stream thought, slightly irritated. _Whitewater might be mad when she finds out. Not only is the pattern disturbed, but in case Ice Tribe attacked, we'd be helpless._ The latter didn't really matter, though. Ice Tribe hadn't attacked a patrol for many moon cycles... she lost her train of thought as she noticed a mouse running right in front of her, out in the open. She hadn't eaten since sunrise. Its scent filled her nostrils, and she couldn't resist pouncing and killing it in a swift well aimed blow.

"Here," she meowed, offering a bite to Leaf. Leaf shook her head, thoughts of Frost still occupying her mind, and remembering that he hadn't eaten since who knew when. Willow took a hesitant bite out of it, but to be honest, he just wasn't hungry.

Stream quickly devoured the mouse, and they kept going. A light sleet began to fall from the clouded sky, freezing their fur. Willow shivered, and decided that talking to Leaf about their plan could wait until they got back and were inside a nice warm den. For now, all he wanted was to be done with the patrol and get back.

The sleet began to fall harder, and it became harder to see. Shivering and soaking, chilled to the bone, none of the Water Tribe patrol noticed a sandy colored figure standing but a few tail lengths away.

OOOOO

The sleet was beginning to thin as Sand made her way back to the pack of Ice Tribe fighters.

"It's probably just a single cloud," Duskroot was explaining to Smokepaw, who was hiding from the sleet with a bunch of other Ice Tribe fighters under a thick tree branch, attempting to sound wise. "When the cloud passes, so will the sleet."

Smokepaw didn't answer. He really couldn't care less. Besides, he had too much on his mind. He was looking forward to the Water Tribe patrol's arrival. He couldn't wait to have them all killed, particularly Mud. But a troubling voice in his head, that sounded eerily like Wood, kept telling him, _Please don't hurt them, Smokepaw. What will that accomplish?_

Nothing, really. Well, it would make Stoneice happy with him, and it would make himself feel good; that was reason enough, right?

His thoughts were interrupted as Sand returned, gasping for breath, shivering and covered in sleet. She blinked the water from her eyes and shook her whiskers clear of the water that was gathering there and turned to face the ten assembled fighters plus Duskroot. They all gazed at her expectantly, knowing what was coming, but waiting to hear the news out of her muzzle.

"They're coming!" she meowed with excitement. The eyes of the assembled fighters glowed with anticipation. "And that's not all," she mewed with malice. "There's only three of them."

The fighters started to laugh; this would be to easy! But Stoneice was not so quick to rejoice.

"Is Mud among them?" he growled.

Sand shook her head. "That's the bad news, your greatness."

Stoneice growled fiercely, clawing at the frozen snow under his paws in anger. "That was the whole point of selecting this patrol!" he yowled. He breathed, noticing that his fighters were staring at him. "Fine. No need to take prisoners. We already have one. Just kill them all."

OOOOO

Yellowroot padded slowly into Whitewater's den. The leader of Water Tribe was sitting calmly in the shadows just as she had when she had first met Smokepaw. "How much time do you have?" she asked.

Yellowroot hissed angrily. "I don't know. That's what really troubles me; I don't know. After Sky Tribe gave me the message, they've completely abandoned me."

Whitewater pondered this, her eyes searching Yellowroot for any signs of lying, and found none. It was as always; there was never a time when she couldn't trust her loyal herb cat, but she could also never let down her guard. "Do you know if... if they've been speaking to _him_?"

"I'll bet they have," Yellowroot growled.

"You know, dear Yellowroot, there's only one way to deal with this," Whitewater meowed gently.

"But he was so promising," meowed Yellowroot forlornly. "And obedient

"Don't worry," Whitewater mewed soothingly. "You'll find another. And I'm sure you'll never have a problem with obedience."

"You're right," Yellowroot meowed, though she was still somewhat hesitant.

"Maybe one of Amber's kits," suggested Whitewater.

"But that's so soon..."

"The sooner, the better," Whitewater insisted. "You don't know when your time will come. It could be any day, unless you take care of this."

Yellowroot's piercing yellow eyes wavered, something that happened very rarely. She lowered her head.

"Remember the message, Yellowroot," whispered Whitewater.

_A frost will cover and kill the roots of yellow_. The words echoed in the herb cat's head. Her eyes hardened.

"You're right," she meowed firmly. "I'll do it when we go out to fetch the merigold leaves. He'll be out of the way."

* * *

**Well, I can't tell you what that little conversation means in case you don't know, but you should know. It's pretty obvious. But I'm feeling **_**very **_**nervous... why do I feel nervous? I control this story, after all... or maybe I don't. These cats control themselves, **_**not **_**me, I suppose. So all I can do is attempt to tell them what to do. RUN FROST RUN!!**

**Anyway, the 200th reviewer gets a super special prize... (ponders) help me think of a cool prize for the super cool 200th reviewer... and thank you, of course, to everyone else to made the 200th review possible.**

**--Moonstar **


	16. True Colors

**Hiya! Sorry for the long wait... I've had this chapter all planned out in my mind for ages, just never got around to writing it. Sorry about that... well, it's here now, and that's what counts.**

**Shaded-Strike: **good idea!! And I'll update soon if you do too...

**Shadow of the Nights:** a Smokepaw picture? I'd like that. I suck at drawing cats, and you're actually good at it (I saw your pictures from your story. They're awesome!).

**-TwincestOnAFlute-:** seems like everyone needs to watch out :) even the readers... dun dun dun...

**Peachfoot:** yes, they control themselves. I don't control this story, I just put it on paper (or the computer, whatever) and I can only attempt to tell them what to do. If I controlled this story, Mud, Stoneice, Duskroot, and a bunch of other random cats I don't like would be dead.

**Flowerpaw:** right you are! We'll have to see how it turns out... dun dun dun (again)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** ooh, that's good! Here come the Wood Watchout Workers!!

**Moletail: **sorry, too lazy to type out your full name. Anyways, thanks for the review :)

**mysterys:** hmm, dunno, guess you'll just have to keep reading.

**Rabbitstorm:** me too XD

**Kura Sumi: **I'm starting to love Frost too. He's adorable. Frost: I am NOT adorable! Me: yes you are!! Squee!

**Aviation: **Shaded-Strike suggested the plushie thing too. I think that's what I'll do. And yes, RUN FROST! FASTER!

**C.T Eleczko: **you're right... and here's your update. ;)

**BlindSeer220:** Spiritwind hasn't been anywhere near fanfiction in ages. Lazybutt. I'll have to force her somehow... let's bomb her with PMs.

**Faunamon: **(Yellowroot gets attacked by Blizzard) (hugs to Blizzard :D )

**Blackpelt:** Frost officially hates you (Blackpelt gets attacked by Frost) but don't worry, he's just mean like that. Everyone else loves you!! (Blackpelt gets hugged by Willow, Leaf, and Wood)

**And our super-cool 200th reviewer is... (drumroll) **_**KURA SUMI!! **_**Congrats to Kura Sumi and all the reviewers who helped make number 200 possible. Kura Sumi gets a plushie of every single cat in the story, to do what ever she likes with (inluding tear them apart)... (glances at Stoneice)**

**A/N: there is another fanfiction out about Smokepaw. It's called **_**Smokepaw's Dawn**_**, by Hawkfire. Read it if you like, or don't, whatever. It's nothing like this story except for the fact that Smokepaw survives the fall off the cliff, and she was nice enough to ask for permission to post it.**

**Chapter 16**

Yellowroot stood at the edge of camp, waiting for her trainee to catch up with her. She wondered if she would actually be able to physically carry out the task Whitewater had set for her. Sure, she'd tried it a few before, but it had been subtle and indirect. It was the same method; she'd tried and retried it, thinking that it couldn't continue to fail forever, but it had. Maybe that's why Whitewater thought she should just do it like a true fighter with her own two paws.

For the past two days, Yellowroot had been stuffing her trainee's fresh kill with deathberries. Though each time, he hadn't even taken a bite. He either just wasn't hungry, or knew somehow. She suspected that it was the latter, since he'd gone two days without eating. Her suspicions had been confirmed that morning, when she'd sent Leaf with a vole for him. She knew Leaf would choose the vole from her fresh kill pile, since it was the biggest piece and she was a concerned, caring cat. She'd filled it with deathberries, but somehow he found out, because he hadn't touched it.

Frost was really to clever for his own good. Of course, that's why she'd chosen him as her trainee to begin with; he was smart. But she didn't know she'd have to kill him, and she didn't know it would be so hard.

Technically, she didn't _have _to kill him, but not killing him would be accepting her own death. The prophecy clearly stated that he would kill her sometime in the near future, which Whitewater couldn't afford. Yellowroot was strangely loyal to Whitewater, and hid her bad leadership from the rest of the Tribe. With Frost as herb cat, they would find out, and a new leader would be appointed. Mud was the obvious choice, and Yellowroot didn't particularly like him, though he was ruthless about killing Ice Tribe cats, something to be respected in Water Tribe.

Frost walked beside her quietly, not saying a word. The snow didn't seem to crunch beneath his paws, and the herb cat couldn't even hear the sound of his breathing; he was completely silent. Yellowroot smirked on the inside; it would probably be easy to dispose of him. He was already weak after having not eaten for two days, so she would win if it came to a fight. _If_. If everything went according to Whitewater's plan, there wouldn't be a fight. It would be as simple as a little stumble.

Frost, as it were, didn't know as much as his trainer thought he did. He'd figured out long ago that Yellowroot had something against him, probably because she'd known from the start that he was a better herb cat than her. He hadn't recieved the message Yellowroot had, but he was smart enough to take Earthroot's hint. He'd seen the deathberries within a mouse he was about to eat, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that they were placed there on purpose. He suspected Yellowroot, but he wasn't completely sure, mainly because he didn't know what she did about his future, and except for Earthroot's hint he hadn't seen any motive for her to kill him.

Despite that, he walked cautiously. He concentrated on every step he took, and every step she took. Suddenly, she stopped. Frost froze.

"What?" he hissed, tensing his muscles.

"Oh, nothing," mewed Yellowroot lightly. "I just thought I scented catmint. Let's keep going." Frost relaxed his muscles, though he was still wary. However, in his moment of relief, he hadn't noticed that Yellowroot was walking on the left side of him instead of the right.

Suddenly a vision filled Yellowroot's mind; she was staring at something through another cat's eyes. She'd experienced this before - it was a vision from Sky Tribe. Finally. They hadn't contacted her in moons.

She saw a gray she-cat with deep blue eyes - Stream. Behind her followed two trainees, one dark ginger with green eyes and the other pale brown with pale eyes - Leaf and Willow. She stiffened at the thought of the two trainees. She'd noticed that Frost had been conversing with them lately, particularly Willow. She knew that Frost disliked all his fellow trainees, again particularly Willow, so she figured something was up with them. They'd seemed almost friendly lately.

Her vision moved further along the border, towards Halfcedar, a long walk from where the small patrol was, but they'd get there eventually. A patrol of Ice Tribe warriors awaited them, and among them was the Shaded Talons. She barely noticed him; what was about to happen was dawning on her and occupied her thoughts. They were all probably going to die.

They could be saved if she and Frost went to intercept them. There was still time... but no, she had to complete the task at paw. Besides, those two trainees were the only two cats likely to question Frost's death, and now they'd be out of the way. As for Stream, she was expendable. Her mind made up, she continued walking along with Frost, her tail held high.

As they continued walking, Frost began to relax even more. He must have been wrong about Yellowroot. He must have. An herb cat would never kill her trainee anyway. He let out a deep breath, feeling calmer than he had for the past two days, when he had known that _someone_ was making an attempt on his life. He hadn't told Willow and Leaf about it; he didn't trust them completely yet, and besides, he didn't want them sobbing with worry when they couldn't do anything anyway. And knowing Willow, he'd go and blurt it out to the whole camp.

The ice-eyed trainee realized he'd been holding his breath; he let it out slowly. Maybe if Yellowroot wasn't the culprit, he could confide in her later and she'd take care of it. No, that would be cowardly; he wanted to deal with this himself. Besides, he still didn't completely trust Yellowroot... it was complicated. And scary. He didn't really want to think about it at the moment. He gazed at the sky, silently asking Sky Tribe what to do, and letting out a sigh that contained a mixture of fear, worry, and desperation. He tried to stay strong; those emotions didn't belong in him. He was supposed to be cold, icy, and appear to know everything, so he wouldn't look like a fishbrain like the rest of the trainees... but is that what he really was? What he really _wanted_?

Frost growled; everything was just too complicated. He sighed again.

And that's when something slammed into him from the side.

Frost hadn't realized that he'd been walking on the bank of Freezepool, that Yellowroot had been walking on the opposite side of him, and as he got lost in his thoughts had let his guard down. Before he could react in anyway, he was falling towards the ice.

The thin coat of ice covering Freezepool shattered under his weight, and he splashed into the freezing cold water. He felt himself becoming submerged in the water, sinking... sinking... he tried to swim upwards, but his limbs were rapidly numbing, becoming immoble. He was running out of breath... and sinking... he summoned a sudden surge of strength and kicked upwards, and after a desperate moment his head broke the surface.

He gulped in huge breaths of air, looking around him. He tried to fasten his claws on the ice and pull himself up, but his weakened paws kept loosing their grip on the slippery ice. There was only one hope now. He had to swallow his pride.

"Yellowroot," he panted, choking out water between syllables. "Help..."

He looked up, and saw Yellowroot standing above him. The herb cat was uncertain about her task before, but now she appeared to be enjoying it. _Enjoying it_. Enjoying watching him die, drowning in cold pain. "Silly trainee," she purred, watching as Frost desperately tried to retain his grip on the bank. "I was the one who pushed you. I'm not going to help you." Frost was convined that these were her true colors, and she was finally showing them after years of pretending to be kind.

Frost slipped; he fell back underwater again for a few seconds, and slowly emerged again, grappling at the bank. "Why..." he asked quietly, shivers racking his body, his teeth clattering. The freezing water had taken possession of the lower half of his body; he could no longer feel his legs.

"Sky Tribe sent me a message. _A frost will cover and kill the roots of yellow_. I'm smart enough to know what that means, and so are you," she explained as if her trainee wasn't drowning before her eyes. "That's why."

Frost fell under again, and it took him a little longer to reemerge. The muscles that weren't frozen ached with the cold. He was shivering all over, and could see blackness eating at the corners of his vision. "Thats... that's wrong..." he stammered through clattering teeth.

Yellowroot laughed. "Stupid trainee! Nothing in the Snowlands is about what's right anymore. It's about survival, and destroying Ice Tribe. It doesn't matter if it's wrong, as long as we win in the end. As much as you pretend to be emotionless and cold -" she chuckled as Frost gave a violent shiver. " - no pun intended, you have too many emotions for your own good. You're concerned about what's right and wrong, for one. That alone is a weakness. You care too much about other cats, including ones you don't like." She saw the glimmer of fear in Frost's eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Finally seeing the light?"

It took her a moment to realize why he'd been afraid. "You're helping that traitor, aren't you!" She glared at him with ferocity she didn't know she possessed. "Before now, I was _somewhat _hesitant to kill you. But now you deserve to die. You and those fishbrains who are helping you."

"How... how did you know..." gasped Frost, his grip slipping. He was freezing cold, but he knew that the longer he kept Yellowroot talking, the more time he had to escape.

"You don't ever talk with your fellow trainees," meowed Yellowroot. "When I figured out just now that you were aiding the traitor, I put together two and two. You're traitors as well, all three of you. Fortunately you'll all be dead soon."

"Don't hurt them," Frost hissed weakly.

Yellowroot chuckled. "_I'm_ not going to hurt them. Ice Tribe will."

Now it was Frost's turn to put together two and two. "The patrol..." he rasped. His eyes glazed over in fury, glaring at Yellowroot with his famous glare times ten, blazing anger radiating all over his body and burning in his eyes. "You knew..."

"Only a little while ago," meowed Yellowroot casually. "It's just as well, though, since they'll traitors like you." Frost could have sword she was smiling. "Dear Frost, your muzzle is tinged blue. Maybe you should just let go."

Frost felt himself getting a grip on the ice. He tried to latch on with both paws... and succeeded. Yellowroot didn't notice. He should pull himself up now... but the rest of his body was a dead weight; he couldn't feel half of it, he ached all over with cold, and his fur was soaking wet.

He tried to pull himself up. Yellowroot looked surprised. "Trying to survive, are you? I don't think you'll succeed." She watched in amusement as he furthured his attempt. "I'm sorry, Frost, but you're getting too far. I'm afraid I'll have to help you back into the water." She clawed at his paws. He instinctively moved them, losing his grip on the ice. He fell back into the water. He felt it submerging him, claiming him, filling him. His vision was almost all black now. It would be so easy to just let go... no! He pushed through again to the surface, but didn't even have time to gasp for breath before Yellowroot forced his head back under.

"Farewell, my trainee," she whispered, still holding his head under the water.

Frost was losing himself. It was a strange feeling. He couldn't feel a single part of his body, his vision was all black... his world was black. It suddenly hit him: he was dying.

Willow and Leaf would have to succeed without him... except they were going to die in the patrol. He had to help them... but he was too weak...

Wood was somewhere in Ice Tribe. He was innocent. He was going to die as well.

And the Falling Smoke. He could save Water Tribe. Save them from Ice Tribe and from Whitewater and Yellowroot. Yellowroot! She was going to be herb cat forever, with no trainee to come after her, and Whitewater would rule for the rest of her life. Water Tribe would be under tyranny... they would _all _die, and he was the only one who knew... but there was nothing he could do. He was going to die.

_Frost_... called a voice within his head. He was probably just going insane before he died.

_Frost..._

_Frost..._

A brown and black spotted tom appeared in his blackened vision. It took him a moment to recognize him. _Earthroot?_

_Frost, _the cat meowed without answering the question, telling Frost that he was right. _You need to get out. You need to save your friends. Water Tribe needs you._

_Tell that to Yellowroot_, meowed Frost bitterly. _She's the true herb cat, since I'm about to die._

_No, she isn't_, meowed Earthroot. _Yellowroot has disappointed us, and with her attempt on your life she is now fully rejected by Sky Tribe. We tried to turn her around by showing her what was happening to the patrol, and she didn't respond._

_It's not an _attempt_ on my life_, Frost meowed cynically. _It's murder. She's won._

_Are you giving up?_ Demanded Earthroot. _I didn't know you were that type of cat, Frost._

_Shut up. I want to die... just let me go..._

_You aren't ready to die yet, fishbrain,_ snapped Earthroot, returning to his strange mocking personality from the gentle herb cat he'd been before. _Sky Tribe will help you. We'll fill you with strength. _He suddenly sounded gentle again. Frost wondered in the back of his head, not for the first time, if Earthroot was schizophrenic or something.

_I'm not schizophrenic_, meowed Earthroot impatiently. Frost cursed his ability to read his thoughts. _We're wasting time. We're speaking in your mind, where you can speak and breathe just fine, but in the real world you are drowning. The cats of Sky Tribe are trying to preserve your life, but can't forever._ He paused to read Frost's thoughts. _Stop thinking like that, you fishbrain. It's not time for you to die yet. You still have things to do. Now are you ready?_

Frost barely felt his body hit the bottom of Freezepool, but he knew it. _No. I'm dead. Leave me alone._

_We can't accept you to Sky Tribe yet, Frost. Unless you want to wander the dead, you'll kick upwards now with all the strength you've got. _

_I don't have any strength left_, Frost insisted. _And I can't kick. I can't even feel my legs._

_You'll be surprised_, meowed Earthroot. _Kick._

Despite wishing he could just die already and stop feeling the pain, he gave a feeble kick. To his surprise, energy filled his legs. Sky Tribe was within him.

_Kick again_, instructed Earthroot. _We're helping you_.

For the first time in his life, Frost did was he was told by a cat other than Yellowroot. He kicked upwards, and felt himself being propelled up through the water.

Suddenly his head broke the surface. He felt his contact with Earthroot break, but he knew that all of Sky Tribe was still within him. He felt the air returning to his lungs. Using his newfound strength, he pulled hinself out of the water, standing there shivering as the feeling painfully returned to his limbs.

Yellowroot had been walking away, convinced that the trainee was dead. She heard him emerging from the water. "Not again," she meowed irritably. She didn't think it would be hard to push the shivering, cold, weak trainee back into the water. "You're resilient, Frost. More than I gave you credit for." She came towards him, claws unsheathed. Maybe fighting him and delivering the final blow would be more entertaining than pushing him back into the water, and then she could be sure that he was really dead.

_We'll fight for you, Frost_, meowed a Sky Tribe warrior he couldn't identify. _Let us take control._

_No,_ insisted Frost. _Leave me alone. This is between me and her, no one else. I can take care of myself._ He swore he could he Earthroot chuckling. _Thank you for my life. Now I must fight my own battles._ Sky Tribe was obeying him. He felt them giving him one last boost of strength and warmth, and then the spirits left his body. He unsheathed his claws.

"I'll kill you," he hissed. Her eyes narrowed.

There was a moment of eerie stillness. And then they both lunged.

**No comment. Wouldn't want to ruin the moment. **

**GO FROST GO! **

Still loving Earthroot here. And Frost even more. Sorry for the entire chapter focused on him, but I had to. Deal with it, and hopefully this little cliffie will make you even more desperate to read the next chapter. XD I'm evil.

**--Moonstar**


	17. Eight Traitors

When darkness turns to light

It ends tonight

It ends tonight

Just a little insight

Won't make things right

Too late to fight

It ends tonight.

**Blame Blackpelt for the random set of lyrics. She got it stuck in my head. If you get a chance, read the rest of the lyrics. It really fits the story. Maybe at the end of the story I'll make a soundtrack. Ooh, that sounds like fun! Now taking song recommendations!**

**Oceanwind: **I wonder if Frost knows what infinity is...**  
**

**Shaded-Strike:** what? He _is _schizophrenic. And by the way, you need to update. Now. I'm getting too into your story... (hugs Acidpaw) see, I never stop hugging him, not even in my own story.

**.skia.ex.to.astron: **I was wondering where you went. I was really lonely without my stalker :( but it's all OK now since you're back :)

**mysterys:** mysterys - awesome (the equals sign doesn't work)

**Rabbitstorm: **don't we all...

**Aviation: **hmm, I was actually going to continue with the Frost POV... but that's a good idea! Mwahahahaha, you created more suspense for yourself. And Frost is still too proud to let someone else fight his battles, especially not an old schizophrenic weirdo.

**Shadow of the Nights:** I just took a look at your Deviantart. It's pretty cool :) Smokepaw is very dark gray with yellow eyes.

**werewolfness: **they're all evil... mwahahahaha...

**-TwincestOnAFlute-: **go go go! The Save Smokepaw Squad and the whatever name we had for Wood team!

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** she's evil because she's a power hungry villain. We've all seen 'em...

**Flametail:** mwahahaha... wow, I'm doing a lot of evil laughing today.

**Peachfoot: **yes, we're going to force her to go to the top of the cliff and make her take the jump Smokepaw did, just _she'll _die.

**Strangefur:** you seem to be with the majority opinion. How come people are so obsessed with killing Yellowroot? Oh yeah, she's evil xx

**Mistytail:** happy to have you! Welcome to the Falling Smoke Review Crew! It even rhymes!!

**Suntail LakeClan's Loyalty:** lazypaw... :) Yeah, I just finished The Sight, and not only does Smokepaw return, but he's an evil jerk! Screw that.

**WildTotodile:** who would've thought it... I dunno... me?

**Blackpelt: **nuh-uh. Not talking to you. You got a song stuck in my head all day, and it's driving me insane.

**Flowerpaw:** maybe I will... mwahahaha... go Frost!

**Adi Sagestar:** (cough) maybe I should be less "oh no sorry!" in my A/Ns so people think that I actually update fast... hey at least I update at all!! ;)

**BlindSeer220:** I'm not evil, that's Yellowroot! And yay for drowning Spiritwind in messages!

**Kura Sumi: **yay plushies! I love plushies, especially when people actually play with them like preschoolers... go Frost plushie!!

**Faunamon:** thanks for pointing out my little spelling mistakes. It makes me know that you're reading closely ;) Maybe I'll put in some spelling mistakes just for you to find them... no, just kidding, but there'll probably be a ton of them anyway.

**And by the way, the power went out when I was half way through this chapter and I hadn't saved, so I had to retype everything. You guys had better feel grateful... (glares at computer) aw, what the heck... (gives out evil computer plushies with lightning bolts on top)**

**Chapter 17**

When Wood woke, he didn't feel the painful throbbing in his forehead. At first, he thought the capture must have been a dream, but when he pressed his head into his paw he still felt the cobwebs. He must have been given poppy seeds. _Maybe they actually care about keeping me alive, even if it's only to threaten Smokepaw or get information, _he thought cynically.

He suddenly wanted to whack himself for being a defeatist. It wasn't like him, and he knew it. What had the events of the past few days done to him? Was it a few days, or a few moons? He had no idea how long he'd laid senseless in the prison den.

Another sudden feeling overwhelmed him for a moment: hunger. He licked his dusty brown fur impatiently, trying to distract himself from the thought of food, but it didn't help. He painfully stood up and stretched his aching limbs, and limped slowly and aimlessly about the small den. All he wanted was a mouse, a thin, scrawny mouse... he would eat anything, _anything_ Sky Tribe gave him, even if it was a stick-thin squirrel, though he could have eaten five fat badgers.

He was walking towards the back of the den when he sensed the tremor of pawsteps on the ground; someone was coming. He quickly dropped to the ground and closed his eyes, hoping that whoever was coming would think he was asleep. He didn't dare move a limb, even flicker an eyelid, having no doubt that the approaching cat wished him harm.

He felt the cat entering the den, but he barely had time to take in its scent before a dreamy aroma found his nose - vole. His mouth watered... he would devour it as soon as the strange cat left. But then a thought struck him; what if the vole wasn't for him? What if, for some strange reason, the cat had simply come in here to eat the vole away from his or her Tribemates, without a thought of sharing it with him?

His belly gave a loud rumble. If the cat didn't give it to him, he'd take it.

The cat seemed to notice him stirring. Wood heard it flinch, but didn't jump back. "Don't worry, it's for you," whispered a timid female voice. She took a careful step towards him, and when she was sure he wasn't going to spring up at her, dropped the vole at his paws and padded quickly out of the den.

When he was sure that the mysterious cat was gone, he opened his eyes. Right in front of him was a delicious smelling vole, and as a bonus, it wasn't reed-thin like he'd expected. Not that it was fat and juicy, but her assumed that prey was hard to find in the snowy Ice Tribe territory this time of year. He greedily devoured the vole, wondering if it was the last meal he'd get for a while, since it'd been a rather generous one. Water Tribe never fed their prisoners that well.

It took him a moment to consider that maybe he wasn't being fed on Stoneice's orders. The mysterious she-cat had seemed a little scared, almost like she was afraid of getting caught.

He didn't have time to think about _why _she would feed him against Stonice's orders, as he again felt pawsteps approaching his den.

Wood quickly closed his eyes, hoping that whoever was coming would either come in and go away quickly like the first cat or just not come in altogether.

The latter hope proved futile as he heard the pawsteps entering his den. This time there was definately more than one set of paws, at least three. He swallowed unintentionally, feeling his dry throat cry out for water as he did so, but it didn't register in his fear-frozen mind.

He felt the eyes of the new cats burning into him as one of them spoke. "I thought you said he was awake, Tawny," meowed an irritable male voice.

"H-he was stirring," stammered the same small female voice from before.

"Did it ever occur to you that he might have just been dreaming?" growled the first voice impatiently.

"No, sir," meowed the small voice shakily, though this time she had a sense of dignity hidden in her tone, as if she wasn't accepting defeat at the paws of a cat who seemed to be her superior.

"C'mon, Dark, give her a break," meowed a casual female voice. "So she made a mistake. We can come back later." Wood heard her turning around and the sound of her retreating paws.

For some reason, he didn't want these cats to leave. They seemed _somewhat_ friendly, and after being cooped up in the cold prison den with a sticky head wound for only-Sky-Tribe-knows-how-long and with only a bunch of tiny half-dead insects for company, he longed for some intelligent conversation, even if it was hostile.

He decided to act as if he hadn't noticed the cats before. He gave a loud, fake moan, then stretched his jaws into a wide yawn. He felt all the retreating paws stop in their tracks and swivel around, turning their eyes to him.

"Look, now we woke him up," meowed a fourth voice.

"He was already awake," insisted the first, though their argument went unnoticed by the other two.

The Water Tribe trainee sat up slowly, opening his curious amber eyes. He took this time to study the cats staring at him. There was a small light tawny she-cat with white paws, who immediately turned her eyes to the ground when she saw him looking; a young jet black tom with a gash around his eye, a tortoiseshell with dazzling green eyes, and a big muscular tom with dark fur. To Wood's horror, he was able to identify the latter as Dark, Stoneice's unofficial second in command, more than the way Mud was to Whitewater. Wood now wondered if "waking up" had been the right decision. For all he knew, Dark and his Tribemates were there to kill him.

"Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you," meowed the tortoiseshell in a way that almost made him believe it.

"Get on with it," muttered the black tom. "We don't have much time before Flake's shift is over, and besides, some cat might see us in here, especially if the patrol returns early," he finished pointedly, seeming proud of himself for making a valid point for his superiors.

"Good point," meowed Dark with a hint of smugness. Wood wondered why, but was answered in the next sentence. "Why don't you go stand at the camp entrance?" He saw the young tom's face fall. "Don't worry, you'll get to meet our friend again sometime soon. Get going now."

Not daring to disobey his leader, the young tom darted out of the den. "That's Reed," meowed the tortoiseshell. She saw Wood's lip curl, remembering Reed as one of the cats three cats who had knocked him out in their fight. He was also responsible for the gash above his eye, which gave him a bit of satisfaction.

"Don't worry, Reed's on your side," she mewed. "He's just trying to maintain Stoneice's trust."

Wood stared at her in confusion. What did she mean?

Dark nudged the tortoiseshell to the side. "I'm afraid Leopard isn't the best at explaining things," he meowed in his gruff voice. "You see, we're traitors. All eight of us." He allowed himself a slight rueful grin. "That would be Leopard, Reed, Tawny, Flake the den guard, and myself. Adder, and Raccoon and Creek are also traitors. And yet we are better cats than our Tribemates." He chuckled oddly at Wood's confusion. He had the fitting odd laughter of an evil villain, yet he wasn't acting like much of a bad guy. Yet.

"The eight of us know that what Stoneice is doing is wrong. We want peace in the Snowlands. We want to overthrow Stoneice, and we want your help." He stood his ground firmly. Wood couldn't help but thinking that if he was speaking the truth, then he wouldn't make a bad leader of Ice Tribe. But that's assuming he was speaking the truth, which Wood highly doubted.

"You mean... you're good guys?" Wood blurted out.

Leopard nodded. "That's right! That's why Tawny brought you food earlier, and she was able to get into your den without anyone being suspicious because Flake is the current guard, and he's on our side as well. And the reason all three of us can be in here at once is because there is a large patrol out on the Water Tribe border, trying to ambush one of their patrols."

"I've been left in charge of the camp, in case Water Tribe tries something while Stoneice is gone," meowed Dark. "But it still wouldn't do well to be seen in here, so we'd better get going."

"You'll meet Adder, Raccoon, Creek and Reed later," Leopard promised. "Raccoon and Creek were taken on the ambush patrol and Reed is guarding the entrance for us, as you know. Adder is treating an elder with whitecough; oh, did I say that my daughter is Duskroot's trainee?" her eyes glimmered with pride. "This means that once we manage to get rid of Stoneice and Duskroot, we'll have an herb can and a leader..." she stole a glance at Dark, "Ready to go. Maybe then there can be peace."

Wood nodded, trying to take this all in. There were traitors within Ice Tribe! And not only that, there were a lot of them; eight, if he'd followed correctly. Though that was only a small portion of Ice Tribe... Water Tribe could use this information to destroy their rivals if they knew, but Wood wouldn't have told his birth Tribe even if he could have. These cats were most sensible creatures he'd met in a long time, especially because they shared his view on peace.

"I'm with you," Wood meowed quietly, feeling his thirst suddenly return as he spoke.

"Tawny, get our guest some water," Leopard ordered the light tawny trainee, who'd stood silently staring at the icy ground the whole time. "We'd better be leaving. Just remember, you're not alone, and maybe there'll be peace soon."

Wood nodded numbly, and was still nodding as the three cats exited. They made it sound like it was easy, but he knew deep down inside that many lives would be lost before there was peace, if there ever would be.

He felt his throat burning, and he wondered when the small she-cat would be back. Maybe he should stop worrying about impossible goals like peace, and start worrying about surviving the day... and Smokepaw surviving the day. He wondered how many Water Tribe fighters had died in the ambush, and hoped - for every cat's sake - that Smokepaw was alright.

* * *

**I managed to keep you in suspense for the Frost vs. Yellowroot _and _the ambush! Mwahahahaha! I'm so evil... XP**

**Important announcement!! Shadow of the Nights was awesome enough to draw Smokepaw and Wood! She has a unique style, so the way she drew them isn't exactly the way I pictured them, but aside from their images she has a strange way of capturing their personalities in the picture. You'll see what I mean. Go to her profile page and click on her homepage, and just scroll down. Thanks, Shadow! (gives Shadow Smokepaw and Wood plushies while other readers throw their own plushies to her recognizing her specialness -_hint hint_-) **

**--Moonstar**

**  
**


	18. As Good as Dead

**I felt like a quick update. Or quicker than normal. You guys deserve it; you're all awesome :) So here it is!**

mysterys: (shifty eyes) read and find out...

**Shaded-Strike:** don't we all love Wood? He makes me laugh too. So do Frost and Willow. Heh, I'm in love with your characters _and _my own.

**Aviation:** while I'd love to torture you with more suspense, I'm also freaking out, so I'll have to get on with the patrol and Yellowroot and Frost. Lucky you ;)

**Flametail:** I did! I did update quicker, I swear! Look, here's proof! (points to what you're reading) hahaha!

**Blackpelt:** it's alright (smiles)... sing row row row your boat ten times for revenge. It'll be stuck in your head.

**mapleleaf:** here's the update! All of you who say I don't update fast enough, _here it is!!_

**'The Twitcherz': **everyone party! We've got a new reader on board! Ok, gotta go through the usual warnings: don't go near Smokepaw and Frost, they'll bite you; paws off Leaf or Smokepaw will bite you again; beware of your fellow readers, because most of them are crazy, which leads to the final warning: the author is insane. You've been warned. XD

**Rabbitstorm:** thankies!

**BlindSeer220:** I KNOW! I really want to hug her. She's SO huggable! (hugs Tawny)

**-TwincestOnAFlute-:** yay...

**Strangefur:** the pictures _are _great. And normally I'm too wrapped up in the story to save every sentence... (gets eaten by Smokepaw)

**Faunamon:** Wood is stupid. You knew that. But he's not stupid in a bad way; he's stupid in a good way, like me. Thanks for the song recommendation! I looked at the Lion King 2 music, and I actually think 'We are One' fits better, but I'll still consider it. And of _course_ I'd want to be healed by an herb can. Duh. Wouldn't you? XP

**.skia.ex.to.astron.:** oh no, another one of you people who nit pick through the text for spelling errors ;) Faunamon's doing it too. Aww, I feel so special, with people cool enough to pay attention enough to do that... (I have _very _short attention span)

**Shadow of the Nights:** did someone eat too much pie? (glares suspiciously) glad you feel warm and fuzzy. :)

**Peachfoot:** I'm having fun with all this potention romance fluff. Don't worry, it'll happen... minor fluffyness in this chapter, even. Be happy :) (yes I'm obsessed with smileys today)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** I actually considered that, because like Blackpelt says, the outcome is too obvious. The problem is that I love Frost too much. He amuses me, and I'm not done torturing him. (grins evilly)

**Catgurl2004:** Angst is fun to write, but so is hyperness, hence the creation of Wood and Willow. Frost and Smokepaw cover the angst catagory pretty well, but Wood'll also have to have a few angsty moments later. Don't worry, they'll be cute angsty moments, because Wood is cute when he's sad... ;)

**Kinsey coo:** aww, thanks! Here's your update then!

**A/N:**** remember, still taking song requests for the eventual songtrack!  
**

**Chapter 18**

A stillness hung in the air. Time seemed to stop. The small chunks of ice swishing atop the water froze. The mice and squirrels hiding in the snow and small patches of growth seemed to disappear; not a single sniff of scuffling of paws could be heard. Two cats stood facing each other, still as stones.

The world was silent. For a second, Frost wondered if he'd gone deaf. He stood with his paws planted in the snow, still with shock. Sky Tribe had left him, and his senses were returning. First his sense of touch - he felt his wet fur plastered to his skin, and he felt the cold air brushing against his soaked form and chilling him to the bone. Then his sense of smell; he could smell his own fear and determination, and irritation from Yellowroot. _Irritation_. Is that all he was, just an irritating trainee to toy with and then kill? He snarled almost inaudibly, digging his unsheathed claws into the ground.

His sense of sight came back, and the blury world around him came into focus. Yellowroot stood about ten foxlengths away from him, still as a rock, her yellow eyes glowing. He could see her hind legs scrunched, prepared to pounce the second he let down his guard or made a move of his own.

His taste came back, but there was nothing to taste in the air. It seemed as if there was no prey for miles around, all having run away from the fight that was to come or having been killed by the tension. He almost laughed at the thought. Killed by the tension? He stole another glance at Yellowroot. The crazy thought didn't seem to impossible anymore.

And then his hearing came back. At first, there was nothing to hear; nothing was moving around him. But there was the fierce beating of his own heart, and the shivers that racked his body. He squeezed his eyes shut. Focus. _Focus_.

Time stopped.

The world was frozen around them.

Yellowroot narrowed her eyes. Frost narrowed his.

Silence.

Frost blinked. In the split second where his eyelids met, in the millionth of a second when they were closed, Yellowroot pounced. The silence shattered like the thin ice on the Freezepool. The imaginary shards went flying through the air. Frost felt his heart pounding in his chest, heard it beating in his mind. His blood roared in his ears.

Suddenly, he found control of his limbs, and leaned to the side at the last second. Yellowroot skidded to a stop in the snow. The world kept turning.

"You'll never win," hissed Yellowroot, her breath freezing in the air. "You're already half dead. All I need to do is finish what I started."

She lunged at him again, claws outstretched. He ducked and reached his claws upwards, trying to rake at her belly, but only succeeding in catching her tail. He bit into it as hard as he could, her yowl of pain giving him satisfaction along with newfound courage. He swiped at her throat, but it was her turn to duck. While Frost tried to stop his claw from flying through the air, Yellowroot whirled hers around and caught him in the head. The blow made him instinctively release her tail. He stood stunned, his head spinning. Yellowroot didn't hesitate to give him time to collect himself; she clawed fiercely at his side and completed her assault with a hard blow to that side. Frost lost his balance; his paws gave way beneath him and he crashed to the ground. He felt himself sliding on the cold ice, and finally came to a stop.

He lay motionless on the ice. A pool of blood was forming underneath him, staining the snow scarlet. He shivered violently. Yellowroot's dark form loomed over him as she pressed a claw to his throat.

"So this is how it ends?" she meowed with quiet satisfaction. "You should have stayed in the water."

_Frost, let us fight for you,_ Earthroot whispered.

_No... it's my fight,_ Frost insisted.

_If you don't let us help you, you're as good as dead,_ the old herb cat snapped.

_Exactly._

The Clans say that StarClan can read dreams, thoughts and minds, guide cats along their life's path, and help them interpret their thoughts. The Tribes believe they same in Sky Tribe, though at the moment Earthroot was very confused. He didn't understand what Frost was doing at all; all he knew was that Sky Tribe couldn't fight for a cat without his or her permission, but that if Frost didn't accept their help then he would die. The young trainee's one word confused him. _Exactly._ He _wanted _to be as good as dead? Earthroot shook his head, gazing sadly at the other Sky Tribe fighters looking on.

_If you don't let us help you, you'll die, _Earthroot repeated desperately.

Frost lay still, his eyes closed. "Is that all you've got?" Yellowroot taunted. "Really, I expected a _little _more of a fight."

_Frost - _

Suddenly the link was severed. Earthroot spat in frustration. Either Frost had blocked him out... or his mind didn't exist anymore... meaning he was dead. No, it had to be the first...

Yellowroot pressed her claw into his throat, drawing blood. Frost fought the urge to scream in pain. "Are you dead, my trainee?" Yellowroot mewed quietly. She bent down to Frost's stomach check his breathing. The trainee held his breath.

"So you _are_ dead," Yellowroot whispered. She looked as if she was going to get up and walk away, then turned back to her ragged trainee. She didn't trust Frost; after his survival in the Freezepool, she wanted to make sure he was dead for sure. She bent down to sink her teeth into his neck.

_Frost!_ Earthroot cried vainly.

Without warning, the trainee that both herb cats thought was dead sprang into life. Yellowroot's neck was right where he wanted it as she bent down to bite his. He latched his jaws onto her throat before she could even try to move away. She struggled in his grasp, but he was holding on too tight with too much determination. Blood fell from her neck as her fierce writhering grew weaker with each passing second. Soon it was nothing but a tremor in her limbs.

"You dirty rat," she meowed hoarsely, then went limp in her trainee's jaws.

Frost dropped her bloody form to the ground. He felt the coppery tang of blood in his mouth, and he was sure that his gray muzzle was stained with her tainted blood. He fought the urge to go wash it off in the Freezepool, but first he had to make sure she didn't pull his own trick on him. He slashed at her bloody throat until he was satisfied at if Yellowroot tried to get up, her head would fall of her shoulders. Only then did he carefully stumble down to the bank of the Freezepool and try to wash the blood off his muzzle, then fell onto his good side, his breath coming in gasps. He won. Yellowroot was dead. And he was dead tired, shivering with the effects of the freezing water and his own wounds.

_Frost,_ came Earthroot's voice, _That little stunt was to risky for my comfort._

_I don't care,_ Frost shot back. _If I hadn't killed her myself, I'd feel like a coward for the rest of my life._

_And you don't feel like a coward for playing dirty?_

_No. She played dirty too. She tried to _drown _me, for Sky Tribe's sake!_

_Fair enough. Well done then._

_Is that all?_

_Yes. I suppose you can take care of yourself now?_

Of course! I'm not a newborn kit!

_Alright. I'll be leaving now..._

_Earthroot, wait._

_What is it?_

Can I ask you one last question?

_It won't be the last, but sure... the answer to your question is that it depends on who you ask._

_I haven't asked yet!_

I read your mind.

_So... what's _your _answer?_

_I don't know. I guess I am a bit schizophrenic. Whitewater never thought so, but my mentor did, and apparently so do you. Is that all?_

_For now._

_Alright. Take care, then, and don't go getting yourself into any more trouble._ With that, Earthroot's form shimmered and disappeared, leaving Frost alone on the pool bank.

Don't get into anymore trouble... what trouble was there to get into? All he wanted now was to go to sleep, maybe dress his wounds later... then it hit him.

The patrol.

Frost picked himself up, staggering to his paws, and ran as fast as his tired paws would carry him, leaving a trail of blood behind him in the snow. He felt like he would collapse, even die at any minute... but his friends' lives were at stake. He had to intercept the patrol, before it was too late.

OOOOO

Smokepaw saw three blury dots appear on the horizon. He narrowed his eyes.

"They're coming!" announced Oak as he ran up to the ambush patrol, breathless from his scouting mission.

"Good," Stoneice meowed in his low growl. "Can you confirm what Sand told us?"

The dark brown tom nodded. "Two trainees and a fighter, sir. One trainee was light ginger, the other one was pale brown, and the fighter was dark gray. I couldn't see their eyes from where I stood."

The leader of Ice Tribe turned to his patrol. "I don't suppose any of you can identify them?" he turned to Smokepaw. "You spent time in Water Tribe, Talon."

Smokepaw nodded. No sense in lying; he was pretty sure he knew who it was. Maybe if he gave him their names, Stoneice would decide that they were insignificant and decide not to kill Leaf... wait, why did he care? _I'll give Stoneice the names of the cats because it might help Ice Tribe turn all the mousebrained piles of foxdung in Water Tribe into crowfood,_ he told himself. _Definately _not _because of some stupid, annoying she-cat with pretty green eyes._

"I'm not completely sure," meowed Smokepaw, because he really wasn't. He remembered that Stoneice had assumed because of Whitewater's pattern that Stream would be on the patrol, and she fit the description of dark gray fur; and if Stream was on the patrol and there was a ginger trainee, then it had to be _Stream's_ trainee, Leaf. As for the pale brown fur, there weren't many cats with that color fur and he was almost sure it was Willow, who'd been guarding Whitewater's den while he was in it. He couldn't care less about Willow and Stream... and Leaf. He didn't care about any of them.

He opened his mouth to give Stoneice the names, then something occured to him. _What _had he been thinking about Leaf? Why in StarClan's name did it take him so long to realize it? He tried to convince himself that there was nothing wrong with thinking a cat's eyes were pretty. Just because a cat had pretty eyes didn't mean that they weren't annoying and stupid. Take Tallpoppy, for example. She had violet-blue eyes that little Smokekit used to stare at in wonder in the nursery, but he had come to learn that she was the most annyoing queen in the history of ShadowClan. She was always whining about not having enough food or about one of her kits not being clean enough, as if she wasn't happy unless she had something to complain and whine about.

Russetfur was another example. She had yellow eyes that always sparkled, but Smokepaw thought the ShadowClan deputy was stuck up and annoying. Another pair of sparkling yellow eyes were Blackstar's... okay, he wasn't going to go _that _far, but his point was proven. Cats could be mousebrained and dumb and still have pretty eyes, and Leaf must fall into that catagory.

"Do you not know, Talon?" asked Stoneice gruffly, braking Smokepaw out of his thoughts.

"Just thinking," he meowed quickly. "I think that the three cats are Stream and her trainee, Leaf, and the second trainee is Willow."

Stoneice narrowed his eyes in thought, emitting a growl in the process. "Are any of them of any value to Water Tribe?" he asked.

Smokepaw rolled his eyes. "Not really." Water Tribe didn't seem to care about _anyone_, or at least not Whitewater and Yellowroot. They could do without a fighter and two trainees.

Stoneice let out another low growl. He turned to address his patrol, who immediately snapped to attention. "They're of no use to us. If Water Tribe doesn't need them, they won't give us anything in return. When their patrol comes, kill them all."

Smokepaw's first reaction was to contradict Stoneice and beg for their lives. But why? It would only endanger his own - no one argued with Stoneice - and besides, all three of them needed to die anyway. Stream was mean to Wood, and Smokepaw, being from ShadowClan, was quick to develop first impressions and hold grudges. He wouldn't mind watching them rip the blue eyed fighter's fur off.

As for Willow, the only experience he'd had with the trainee was the guarding outside Whitewater's den, which was enough to make him assume that he was on the crazy leader's side. He could die too. And Leaf... could he really let Leaf die... of course he could. She was so darn _annoying_, and if nothing else, her being dead would get her off his thoughts. So Smokepaw kept his mouth shut.

An irritating voice in his mind that sounded suspiciously like Wood was yelling at him to stop. _It's not right. They're innocent. They're outnumbered. It's _wrong _to kill in cold-blood._

Smokepaw tried to block it out.

_It's wrong, Smokepaw..._

Smokepaw blocked out Wood's voice. Those cats deserved to die. Ice Tribe wanted them dead. They'd asked him to help. So he would help, and they would die, and he wouldn't give a mouse tail.


	19. Think Fast

**IMPORTANT! Ok, so remember in last chapter when Earthroot is talking to Frost? Well, I discovered that a few of Earthroot's lines mysteriously disappeared. I added them back in, and I recommend you go reread it. Earthroot is even funnier; he cracks me up :)**

**Aviation:** Rescue? Nope, they're all gonna die. (cackles)

**Rabbitstorm: **Smokepaw is dumb, isn't he? Oh well. He _is_ from ShadowClan. (gets attacked by Blackstar)

**Oceanwind:** fine then, so you had to reread. Biggy deal XP and as to your other questions... just keep reading. You really think I'd tell you?

**Shadow of the Nights:** Pie... over there. (points to the opposite side of the world) phew, she's gone... ;)

**Shaded-Strike:** do you know how insane you sound? "Listen to the voice..." lol.

**BlindSeer220:** Smokepaw likes denying things. I guess that's his forte :)

**Adi Sagestar: **I think we all agree that Smokepaw is somewhat partially insane/misguided/just plain annoying. Poor little Smokepaw is right. XD

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** (hugs Frost) NO! No killing my favorite characters! And no bringing the evil guys back to life! (throws tomatoes at you)

**mysterys:** Smokepaw's always been evil. It's in his ShadowClan blood ;)

**Faunamon:** though you failed to mention where you saw them. So I bet you're just making them up because you'd be really depressed if there weren't any. So nya yourself. ;)

**mapleleaf:** because I love him (hugs Frost) and because Smokepaw can't be the only main character. Don't worry, he's coming back... (shifty eyes)

**x.skyheart.x:** of course not! We've still got... well, I can't tell you. But it isn't the end.

**'The Twitcherz':** lol. Thanks. XP

**Cloverfoot:** Well, they were intended to be kinda ok cats... well, at least Whitewater was. But these cats have minds of their own. (shivers)

**Peachfoot:** I was considering Frost x Leaf (which would be hilarious, I must note) but you convinced me otherwise. lol.

**Moletail:** I don't feel like spelling out your whole name. Sorry. I'm a lazypaws. Anyways, thanks for the review!

**.skia.ex.to.astron:** I love how everyone thinks the voice in his head is right. Don't you all know that voices in your head must mean you're crazy? Oh well. Smokepaw must be that special.

**Kgirl311:** you're right, in a way.

**Weezalicious: **yay, new reader! (hugs) All standard warnings apply. XD

**Hey... I was wondering, does it bug anyone the way I reply to you guys at the beginning of chapters? If it does, say so. I'll stop if the majority says so...**

**Chapter 19**

Smokepaw's frozen breath hung in the air. They were almost there. Just a foxlength out of striking distance. Just let them walk a little further. Let them willingly walk to their deaths.

The Water Tribe patrol had no chance of scenting the ambush; the wind was blowing the wrong way. Instead, the Ice Tribe cats could smell the approaching targets as if they were right in front of them. Perfect.

All Smokepaw could hear was the soft crunching of snow beneath three sets of approaching paws and the dull thrumming of his own heart. The rest of the ambush party was deathly silent.

He watched as the frozen breath hovering in front of his muzzle evaporated into the air.

"Now!" yowled Stoneice.

The illusion of silence shattered. Smokepaw leapt into action, wanting to be the first cat to tear apart an enemy throat.

Willow immediately lost sight of Stream and Leaf in the mob of advancing fighters. He tried to call out to her, but the words disappeared at his lips. He felt claws all over him, dragging him to the ground. He had barely even had time to process what was happening as the cats tore at his fur, seeming to get pleasure in tearing apart the young trainee. He tried to stand up and fight, but they pushed him roughly right back down. Blood oozed from clawmarks all over him. He lay limp and bleeding in the snow, finally realizing what was really going on.They were hopelessly outnumbered, even by Willow's overly optimistic standards.

Suddenly, an irritated voice sounded from behind the limp trainee. "Get off him."

Willow turned his head weakly to the cat he thought was his savior. It was Smokepaw.

"I want to kill him myself."

The cats dipped their heads respectfully to the Shaded Talons. Smokepaw approached Willow purposefully. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Stoneice watching with approval. The Ice Tribe leader loved the combination determination, slickness and plain cruelty the Talons was acting with. It was almost as if he'd trained the cat himself.

Willow's pale green eyes begged Smokepaw not to hurt him; they begged him to understand that Willow was there to help him, that he was on his side. But Smokepaw longed for the thrill of battle, to impress Stoneice, and to kill a Water Tribe cat.

_Don't do it, _Wood's voice pleaded.

Smokepaw ignored the voice. He stood over Willow, glaring down at the bleeding trainee. To him, the pale furred tom was just another mousebrained Water Tribe pile of foxdung.

"Get up," he snapped.

Confused but not willing to risk the consequences disobedience, Willow staggered to his paws.

"I want to fight you like a warrior," hissed Smokepaw.

Willow nodded wearily, not sure what Smokepaw was getting at. He was exhausted, tired and bleeding Sky Tribe only knows how much in a matter of only seconds in battle. What kind of fighter did he think he was anyway? He would be a trainee forever if he couldn't even last five seconds in battle, no matter how uneven the odds. He looked around for Leaf and Stream, but couldn't see either of them through the mobs of cats. He figured they were probably at the bottom of a pile of cats just like he had been, getting their throats clawed out. He wanted to cry out, but the cry was lost on the air.

He choked back another cry that sounded like it was between a sob and a shout of confusion and anger; but who could have blamed him if he'd let it out, and not tried to preserve his last scrap of dignity? His friends were dying around him, and the cat he'd been plotting to save was about to kill him. Speaking of the cat he had been plotting to save, Smokepaw lunged at him, dragging him out of his thoughts and back to the freezing cold, bloodstained world. He bowled the broken trainee over into the snow, staining it with his scarlet blood, and pinned him to the ground.

_Don't do it, Smokepaw..._

Smokepaw ignored the voice. "Now I can _kill_ you like a warrior," he snarled, and raised a claw to kill the cat beneath him.

Willow squeezed his pale green eyes shut for what he thought was the last time, waiting for the death blow to strike his throat. His life didn't flash before him, he didn't see a light in the distance; all he felt was pure terror.

Maybe it's because those things don't exist, or maybe it's because his day to die hadn't actually arrived.

Willow cautiously opened one eye just in time to see a gray blur hit Smokepaw from the side. The claws were thrown off of him, and he hurriedly picked himself off the ground in case his rescuer turned on him like Smokepaw had or the other Ice Tribe cats attacked him. Out of curiousity, he quickly turned to get a glimpse of the gray blur that had saved his life, and got a surprise that nearly scared him out of his fur.

"Frost!"

It wasn't just that the herb trainee had shown up to begin with that surprised him, nor was it that he and Smokepaw were now tangled in a heated battle. It was Frost's appearance. His fur was already matted with blood and covered in various wounds, with frost tipping the edges of his fur. He was obviously limping, and he looked incredibly exhausted, even more so than Willow himself. The only familiar thing about the ragged cat in front of him was the defiant light in his blue eyes.

In short, he was a _mess._ Willow briefly wondered how he became such a mess; as far as he'd known, Frost hadn't been ambushed like them. He must have arrived at the scene and been attacked then, Willow decided.

Willow was snapped out of his thoughts as a fighter lunged at him. He quickly sidestepped out of the way, and as he whirled around he smacked another cat in the head with an unsheathed claw, knocking him out cold. As he turned to another throng of fighters, wishing he had the strength to fight them all off, a pile of gray fur skidded to a stop at his paws.

Willow grabbed Frost by the scruff and lifted him to his paws. Frost risked a mischevious glance at Willow. "Lucky you I was there, huh?" he rasped. "I _told _you that you shouldn't have gone on patrol without me. I knew without me to watch you, you'd get yourself killed." Willow couldn't tell if he meant it as a joke or if he was serious; it was something Frost would normally say, though he wouldn't put it past him to make a cynical joke at a time like this.

The fighters kept coming. Willow and Frost pounced in seperate directions; Willow straight into the mob of cats, hoping to take as many as possible with him, and Frost right back at Smokepaw.

"What happened to you?" sneered Smokepaw. "Get attacked by a rat?" He aimed a blow at Frost that the herb cat barely dodged.

"Figuratively," Frost replied, sidestepping another blow and slashing Smokepaw across his chest. The ShadowClan apprentice yowled in pain, lunging furiously at the herb trainee.

Frost simply sidestepped again, quite casually for a battle he was likely to die in. He clawed at Smokepaw's side as he went by, drawing another yowl of pain.

"Aren't you afraid?" hissed Smokepaw, recovering himself and lowering into a fighting crouch. "All I have to do is call for more fighters to help me and you're a dead cat."

"I'm not afraid of death," Frost retorted. "Now, I have something to tell you. Will you listen for a minute?"

"No!" snapped Smokepaw. "You're trying to kill me!" He lunged again at Frost, this time grazing his ear with his claw, but Frost was again to quick for him and moved out of the way.

"Coward!" spat Smokepaw. "Stand your ground!"

"Listen to me!" Frost shouted. "I'm on your side!"

"Yeah right," Smokepaw growled. "You're trying to _kill _me!"

"No, _you're _trying to kill me," snapped Frost. He dove at Smokepaw, slashing at his sides. Smokepaw returned the slashes, reopened wounds that had just stopped bleeding all over Frost's pelt. Frost faked a move to Smokepaw's side, and as the yellow eyed apprentice moved to block it, Frost spun around and knocked him in the head. While he was temporarily winded, Frost leapt on him and pinned him to the ground.

Smokepaw was about to cry out for the help of his warriors, but Frost jabbed a paw in his mouth. "Shut up and listen to me," he growled.

"If you're going to kill me, get on with it," hissed Smokepaw, muffled by Frost's paw in his mouth.

"I'm not going to kill you, I just need you to shut up and listen for a second," Frost snapped. Smokepaw wriggled in his grasp, but Frost held steady. "We're _on your side_." He paused to study Smokepaw's look of confusion. "Yeah, you heard me. Willow, Leaf and I believed you were innocent, so we were plotting to save you. And _this _is what you do? You ambush us and try to kill us? I think Willow and Leaf must already be dead. Well so much for you having allies," he spat.

"You're lying," Smokepaw growled, not sounding truly convinced.

"Listen," snarled Frost. "I'm doing this for the good of all the cats in the Snowlands, not for you. I'll let you go, if you try to get me, Willow and Leaf out of here alive. _And _we'll help you. Pretty good deal for you, I'd say."

Smokepaw wanted to argue, but he didn't seem to have a choice. Caught up in the heat of battle, the other cats didn't notice his situation, both cats were well aware that Frost could have killed him had he wanted to. "Fine."

Frost released Smokepaw, and watched as the ShadowClan apprentice went to keep his side of the deal. ShadowClan cats, Smokepaw decided, always stick to their word.

"Stop!" Smokepaw yowled. No effect.

"Every cat, **STOP!**" he yowled, louder than any cat had ever yowled before.

Everyone froze. Smokepaw could make out a group of fighters toying with Willow; immediately they stopped, three of them pinning him down so he couldn't get away. Leaf was lying on the ground with her eyes closed about twenty foxlengths away. Smokepaw's heart lurched; was she dead? No, he didn't care... but there was the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Good, she was alive... so that they could have a prisoner... yes, that was why he was happy she was alive. She would make a good prisoner.

"What is it, Talon?" snarled Stoneice. He spotted the cats of the patrol and Frost in the frozen battle. "Bring them to me, all of them!"

Frost felt himself being grabbed by four Ice Tribe fighters and dragged up to Stoneice, along with an unconcious Leaf and a half dead Willow. He looked around for Stream, but saw only a motionless, bloody gray body in the snow that the fighters hadn't bothered to move.

"Did you want the honor of killing them, Talon?" Stoneice purred. Willow wrestled weakly against his captors. Frost offered no resistance but a burning glare to Smokepaw, the message in his fiery blue eyes clear as ice.

"Actually," Smokepaw mewed slowly. He felt like he was going to regret this, but he'd made a promise, and he might actually get something out of it. "I think they should live."

Outraged yowls erupted from the Ice Tribe cats. "Traitor!" one yelled.

Stoneice narrowed his eyes. "Are you in a league with them?" he hissed.

"No!" Smokepaw meowed in a tone he was afraid was too defensive, but the other cats didn't seem to notice. "Every cat here saw me fighting them. It's just... I thought it might be more beneficial in the long run to keep them alive."

"And why is that?" Stoneice prompted. The fighters gazed at him expectantly.

Smokepaw racked his brain for quick excuses. "Well, Frost there," he flicked his tail at the herb trainee, "Is Yellowroot's apprentice. I'm sure he knows all about what she's been up to and any prophecies she's recieved."

Frost rolled his eyes. _You have no idea_.

Stoneice padded up to the herb trainee and inspected him like a mouse. Frost raised his blue eyes defiantly, though it was hard to be defiant when you resembled a lump of torn gray fur. Stoneice laughed. "You look like you've been fighting all day," he remarked. "It would be _so _easy to just dispose of him..." he paused in thought. "But I guess Talon has a point. Knock him out," he ordered. The cats who were holding him batted his head with sheathed claws before Frost could react, and he slumped senseless into the snow. "Take him back to camp and put him in the prison den," he ordered, and watched the four cats as they dragged Frost's limp body away.

"What about the other two?" he asked, eyeing Leaf and Willow. Willow gazed at what they were doing to Frost in horror, and a new wave of fear crashed over him as he realized the would do the same to him if they didn't kill him.

Smokepaw quickly searched his brain for an excuse that would save Leaf. Not that he cared or anything. "Leaf... Leaf is Whitewater's trainee," he meowed, trying not to waver. "She knows all about Whitewater and her fighting technique, and might even know what she's been planning."

"I thought the ginger one was the gray one's trainee," Stoneice spat, flicking his tail at Stream's body.

Smokepaw shook his head, hoping that Stoneice would buy it. "You must be mistaken. The... the brown one is Stream's trainee."

For a horrible moment, Smokepaw thought that Stoneice realized he was lying and would kill him on the spot. But then the Ice Tribe leader nodded his head. "Fine. Let the she-cat live. Just put her in the prison den," he ordered, and watched as his fighters dragged away an already unconscious Leaf. Smokepaw ferverently hoped she was alright.

"And this scrap?" Stoneice flicked his tail at Willow. "Can we kill him?"

Smokepaw longed to say yes and just get this over with, so he could stop risking his own life and go back to camp. But a promise was a promise, and benefits of the promise were benefits of the promise. "No," meowed Smokepaw steadily.

"Why not?" challenged a fighter from the crowd. Yowls of agreement sounded amongst the other Ice Tribe fighters.

_"Silence!_" shouted Stoneice. He turned back to Smokepaw. "Why not?" he repeated.

"He... he..." Smokepaw thought fast. He was out of excuses... he couldn't say he was Mud's trainee, because he'd already identified him as Stream's... and he definately couldn't say he should live just because he felt like it. "He... um, he could be a training device for your trainees," Smokepaw offered pathetically. For some reason, Stoneice was still listening expectantly, so he continued. "He could help train your trainees by fighting with them as a Water Tribe cat and get them used to Water Tribe technique, and help them practice their new moves..."

"Isn't that what trainers are for?" another cat challenged.

"No, I see what he means," Stoneice mewed calmly. He had a suspicious glint in his eye, but he hid it from the rest of the Tribe. "Bring him back to camp as well. He also goes in the prison den. All of you are also to return to camp." Smokepaw didn't know if he should stay with Stoneice or not, but the leader of Ice Tribe abandoned him on his own.

He glanced at Stream's forgotten body, then figured he should leave her to the next Water Tribe patrol. It'd be suspicious if he buried her anyway. With that, he turned and followed the rest of the Tribe back to camp, feeling uncomfortably unaccomplished.

* * *

**Aww, poor Stream. Oh well, I don't like her anyway. (shrugs) and nobody else died... yet. (snickers)**

Anyways, I'm having problems with the document manager... it's deleting random lines, and it's extremely annoying. I've tried to catch it all, but each time I save the changes it deletes a few more. If you see something that really doesn't make sense, it might be because a line is missing; just let me know and I'll try to fix it.

**And until next time,**

**Moonstar**


	20. No Turning Back

**Flametail:** go in the google search, type in 'evil', and click the very first link on the page. It should be an evil quiz. I scored 100 without trying. XD

**Shadow of the Nights:** fine then. Slap him. See if he cares.

**Oceanwind:** Smokepaw is awesome like that, I guess :)

**Loyalflame:** he's not gullible, trust me. In fact, he's waaay too smart for his own good...

**Kgirl311:** right you are. Thanks for the review. :)

**Aviation-Nyra's Revenge:** ShadowClan _does_ have a bad rep, you must admit. I mean, Blackstar, Tigerstar, the mousebrains who wouldn't rescue Berrykit on the border (if you've read Sunset...) And Tawnypelt was born in ThunderClan, so she only half counts :) Littlecloud is awesome too. He's sooo huggable. XD

**Peachfoot:** Heh. You are a bit pairing crazy... but see the PM I sent you...

**x.skyheart.x:** how many questions can you fit into one review? Just kidding, but keep reading to be answered :)

**Faunamon:** no spelling mistakes? Really? I know if they were there, you'd see them and tell me ;), so I guess they really aren't there. Whoa...

**Moletail:** meep...

**mysterys:** I luff him too. I might have to edit him out for a while though, since he's taking over the story... but not yet XD

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** I think I already have in my mind the main character who should die, along with anyone else I feel like killing... mwahahahaha!

**Strangefur and Weezalicious: **well, since you guys are the only ones who voted in favor of the replies and no one voted against... you win :) Thanks for the feedback.

**Chapter 20**

Dark's timid young trainee returned to Wood's den a short while later as promised, with some soaked moss for him to drink. She laid it gently at his paws and observed the dusty brown tom as he greedily sucked the water out of the moss. Her eyes swept across the dusty brown fur, his bright amber eyes and the various cuts and scratches all over his body. Like her, he was small for his age. As soon as he'd sucked every single little last drop out of the moss, he raised his eyes and his wet muzzle to look back at her.

She was a pretty she-cat, more so than any he'd seen in Water Tribe, but maybe that's because he was fed up with their behavior. Her pelt was a pretty light tawny color except for her white tipped paws, and she sparkling green eyes. She noticed him watching her and took a step back, feeling slightly embarrassed. She was rather timid and shy, he noticed.

Feeling awkward, Tawny decided it was time to go. "Uh, see you later," she meowed hastily, and turned around to leave.

Wood watched her walk towards the exit, feeling lonelier with each step of her white tipped paws. It got pretty boring sitting around in the prison den with no one for company but dead insects.

"Wait!" he yowled as she set a paw into the snow outside. He barely heard it crunch beneath her paw.

She turned around slowly. "What is it?" she asked quietly and somewhat shyly, as if she was afraid of what he would ask. "Do you need anything else?"

This was his only chance to avoid being dead bored for the rest of the day; he had to take it. Though simply asking the timid she-cat to stay was more nerve-racking than he'd thought it would be. "Can you... would you mind staying?" He finally meowed.

Her green eyes expressed her question, but she voiced it anyway. "Why?"

"Well, uh... it gets kinda boring in here, you know? I mean, there's no one to talk to but a bunch of dead bugs... well, no one intelligent to talk to, unless you count insects as intelligent." He grinned, hoping she wouldn't tell him he was insane and stalk off.

She returned the grin, and to his surprise, laughed a little bit. "You're funny," she stated, amusement playing in her eyes. "I'll stay until the patrol gets back." She walked over to sit next to him but before she could do so, Stoneice's call echoed into the camp.

"They're back," she meowed, and actually sounded upset about it.

"That's alright," Wood mewed, trying to sound indifferent, though his sadness was clear as day.

She gave him a hesitant lick between the ears. She wanted to comfort him; he didn't seem like the Water Tribe monster he was made out to be, but more like a scared young trainee who just wanted to go home. He was a lot like her, she realized. But she was hesitant to provide comfort because he might take her lick the wrong way. To her relief, he returned the gesture, though he was just as hesitant.

"I'll see if I can come back later," she told him. "I think Leopard has third shift on the night guard, so if you don't mind staying up late..." she trailed off, realizing how stupid her idea was. Third shift was in the middle of the night, and not only did she want to be asleep at the time, but she figured Wood would also want to rest. In addition to that, why would this prisoner, enemy trainee stay up half the night just to wait for her?

"I'd like that," he meowed sheepishly, to her immense surprise. He saw her shrink in embarrasment, and his ears warmed to the tips in the same emotion. "That is... if it's alright with you. I understand if you can't..."

"No, I will," Tawny promised, with no idea why she was.

"Tawny, get out of there!" called Flake, the guard, from outside. "They're coming, and Spruce is going to take over soon!"

"Coming!" Tawny replied. She mouthed a 'see you later' to Wood as she ran out.

For some reason, those mouthed words meant more to him than anything anyone had said out loud all day.

OOOOO

Smokepaw watched as the cat he'd walked next to on the way back to camp, an eerily silent brown tom named Spruce, went over to relieve the white cat on guard duty of the prison den where he knew Wood was being held captive. He wished he could speak to his friend, just to tell him it would be alright, that he'd save him, and maybe for his own comfort as well. He hadn't seen a friendly face in ages. Just a short chat with Wood would be welcome, but he knew that doing so could risk Stoneice's suspicion and the lives of every cat he'd promised to save. Even his own life hung in the fragile balance.

"Talon!" called a voice behind him. He turned to see dark muscular tom who'd been introduced to him as Dark, Stoneice's right paw cat. "Stoneice wants you in his den. _Now_," he added with threatening emphasis.

It was probably in his best interests to meet with Stoneice, if he wanted to live, that is. _Besides, I've got nothing better to do_, he thought cynically. He followed Dark over to Stoneice's den, and to his surprise, Dark followed him in. The ShadowClan apprentice was surprised that Stoneice would allow Dark to be present for his confidential conversations. Whitewater never allowed anyone but Yellowroot in on important matters such as these, not even Mud. He supposed that Stoneice must _really _trust Dark, maybe more than he should, but this also made him slightly afraid of the dark pelted tom. If Stoneice trusted him like this, he must be insanely loyal, which would make him a danger to Smokepaw and his friends... or _allies_. Wood was his only friend. The rest were merely allies...

"Talon!" snapped Stoneice, breaking him away from the rantings in his mind. He eyed the younger cat suspiciously. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

"What's there to say?" Smokepaw retorted.

Stoneice glared icily at him. "I know you had ulterior motives for saving those worthless piles of bird droppings today. Care to share them?"

Smokepaw resisted the urge to give him a stubborn "no", knowing that it could cost him his life. _Foxdung, does _everything_ I do endanger my life?_ he thought cynically.

_And are all your thoughts cynical?_

Smokepaw jumped. He hadn't expected another voice. He looked around for the cat who'd spoken, but couldn't see any cat. He was about to call out to the hiding coward and force them into the open, but the voice stopped him.

_No one's there. I'm a cat of Sky Tribe. I'm in your mind._

_Mouse dung. I'm just going insane and hearing fake voices. What would Sky Tribe want with me anyway?_

_Are you that blind? You're the cat of the prophecy, fishbrain._

_Who in StarClan's name are you anyway?_

_Correction, in Sky Tribe's name._

_Who are you?!?_ Smokepaw demanded.

_Earthroot of Sky Tribe. Now listen closely, because I'm not going to repeat myself. In fact, you'll probably never hear me again._

_Why not? Are Sky Tribe cats too weak to appear to the living?_ Smokepaw jeered.

_No, I've just chosen to have a connection with another cat. This is important, though, so shut up and listen._

_You sound like Frost._

_Just listen!_ Earthroot snapped. _You need to trust your allies. Willow, Frost, and Leaf are all on your side, and so are some cats in Ice Tribe._

_Why should I believe you?_

_Because I'm right!_

_So which cats of Ice Tribe are on my side?_

_Figure it out yourself. Do you expect me to do everything for you?_

_If you're not going to help me then leave me alone!_

_Gladly, but I still have one more thing to tell you._

_Get on with it then._

_You know you are the cat of the prophecy, but do you know which part?_

_I assume I'm the Falling Smoke, whatever that means._

_Wrong. Or, half right._

_What do you mean?_

_Well, you're sort of both. You could be the one thing or the other for either Tribe, but once you choose your path there's not turning back, and another being will rise up to take the place of what you're not._

_I don't get it at all._

_Oh come on, I was clearer than I've ever been! You're StarClan are never as clear as that. They always give cryptic messages. Not that I don't... well, live with the information you've got. For your ulterior motives, give your sincerest apologies and say that these cats were your friends in Water Tribe because they aren't loyal to Whitewater, which is actually true. Good luck. You'd better get back to the real world now, since Stoneice and Dark are looking at you funny._

_What the..._ but Smokepaw could tell that Earthroot was gone. He blinked. He hadn't even noticed that his vision had blurred, but when it cleared, he realized that he was on the ground, and Stoneice and Dark were indeed looking at him funny. Whoever this Earthroot was had totally screwed up this entire meeting, and hadn't even told him anything useful. He sounded like a mixture of Blackstar and Littlecloud, if that was possible; being all annoying and irritating, but having something important to say at the same time, which ended up not being important at all... wait, that made no sense. Smokepaw gave up with his stupid analogy; it was making his head hurt.

"Talon? Talon!" Stoneice was shouting, obviously out of patience. "Get up!" Dark hauled him to his paws. "What in Sky Tribe's name just happened? You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

"Sorry... blood loss," Smokepaw meowed wearily, suddenly realizing it was true. He didn't remember getting the gash the was bleeding on his hind leg... it seemed like some cat had reopened the wound that had been there previously, from when he'd fallen through the ice what seemed like ages ago.

"Yes, of course," meowed Dark calmly, though his voice was somewhat unnerving. "We'll get you to Duskroot as soon as we're done here. Forgive him, Stoneice."

Stoneice nodded. He knew very well the effects of blood loss... as did Smokepaw, who'd decided that his conversation with Earthroot had just been an illusion caused by blood loss.

"Anyways, Talon, you were about to tell us exactly why you were so determined to save those cats," Stoneice prompted impatiently. "We're _very _curious."

Smokepaw remembered what Earthroot had told him to say... wait, why was he going to listen to an insane illusional cat who didn't actually exist? Though he had to admit, it _was _a reasonable excuse...

The apprentice sighed dramatically. "I'm sorry for not speaking the truth before, Stoneice," he meowed, bowing his head in fake shame, hoping it would work, though hating every bit of it. "It's just, the truth wasn't for all ears."

Stoneice nodded thoughtfully. "I understand," he meowed reluctantly. And he did. There were _very _many things he concealed from the rest of the Tribe. He knew what it was like to only have one or two cats worthy of the truth, but in this case he considered himself one of them. "Continue," he meowed, still impatient and a threatening note behind his tone.

"You see, those three cats were my friends in Water Tribe," he meowed. Stoneice opened his mouth to protest, but Dark silenced him with a flick of his tail. "The reason they were my friends is because when Whitewater was getting on my nerves as always, they would help me get away from her." Smokepaw considered telling him that the three of them had been plotting to kill her, but decided that would be too elaborate. "They told me they hated her, and they did. They never did anything she said, and resented her leadership. They told me that they intended to follow in Grass's pawsteps when they grew up, and run off to Ice Tribe so they could give her what she deserved. So I figured, why kill them when we can devote them to our cause?"

"You're a wise cat, Talon," Dark remarked. If Smokepaw hadn't known better, he would have thought that the dark tom was prompting Stoneice to say the same thing and believe him.

Stoneice nodded. He still seemed slightly suspicious, but there was no way he could argue Smokepaw's tale. "Fine," he meowed flatly. "Dark, take him to Duskroot."

Smokepaw finally realized how exhausted he was. He swayed on his paws, but didn't allow himself to fall over until he got to Duskroot's den, where he dropped to the ground and closed his eyes. He allowed himself to slip away from the spinning black world where his blood was staining the icy floor of Duskroot's den and he had no idea who was friend and foe, if only for a few peaceful minutes.

* * *

**Hehe... this chapter came out to 2,100 words without the author's notes! Woohoo!**

**I hope it's enough to tide you over for a little while, because I'm leaving for sleepaway camp on Monday. Yeah, I know I normally take forever to update, but this time it might take a bit longer since I'll be away for a couple weeks. Don't worry, I'll have plenty of time to plan out the next few chapters in my head while I'm at camp. XD So until then, have a happy summer :)**

**Moonstar**


	21. Four Trainees

**WildTotodile:** I love mental chats with Earthroot too. I think he's becoming one of my favorite characters... (huggles)

**Peachfoot:** hey, pairing crazy is fun. Glad you like her... O.o

**Faunamon:** yeah, I was having trouble with that. I wanted to do something a bit unpredictable, because it was bugging me the way the story was just kinda doing what everyone thought it would be doing. I like twists :)

**mapleleaf:** you never know...

**Shadow of the Nights:** wow.

**Oceanwind:** again, you never know...

**Adi Sagestar:** we'll have to wait and see, won't we.

**TawnyLeaf:** thanks for the compliment, but I don't think I sound like Erin Hunter. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think I have different style, and she might be a cough-slightlybetter/moreexperienced-cough writer. But thanks anyways ;)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** Simple explaination: Smokepaw's just a butthead XP

**Strangefur:** hmm... don't worry, that was on purpose. Maybe it's a hint that Dark is just cooler/better leader/ready to take over the world... or not the last part... you get the idea.

**mysterys:** please don't die. Here's the chapter :)

**weezalicious:** agreed...

**Moletail:** sorry, too lazy to type out your full sn... thanks :O)

**Flamestar211:** I did! See! Look straight ahead! Evidence!

**Aviation-Nyra's Revenge: **wow, I feel special. You went through and picked out all the cats on Smokepaw's side. Aww ;) I'm sure he appreciates it... or not.

**Shaded-Strike:** _I'm_ updating. _You_, on the other paw...

**BlindSeer220:** oh well. Made _me_ laugh XD

**Flametail: **nope, chainsaws are _fun_... (toothy grin)

**Mistytail:** thankies!

**skiizers:** so, still too lazy to type out your whole username, but now you've given me a nickname! XD Glad to have you back.

**And the 300th reviewer was ... (drumroll please) ... STRANGEFUR!! (does strange dance) (everyone looks at me funny) anyways, this chapter is dedicated to Strangefur, the 300th reviewer, and all you other awesome reviewers who made the 300th possible. (After all, you can't have 300 without 299, 298, 297, 296... ok, I'll stop now...)**

**Chapter 21**

Wood pretended to be asleep, curled up in the back of the den, as heard a few sets of pawsteps padding in. He heard a strange noise, as if they were dragging something behind them. But he was not prepared for the sight that met his eyes once the guards left and he opened them.

Three unconscious, bleeding bodies had been dumped in his den like fresh kill. He rushed over to them, and it actually took him a moment to identify the battered forms as three of his fellow Water Tribe trainees. He figured they must be the hostages from the patrol, but then it occurred to him that only Leaf would be scheduled to go on patrol today. Could they have been up to something else... no, they had to have been caught on patrol somehow. It wasn't like they'd try to rescue him or anything.

The dusty brown pelted prisoner, having nothing better to do and deciding it was a good idea, recounted and reevaluated his opinions of the three cats in front of him. Leaf had always just been annoying, even more so after she'd overreacted to his prank by the lake and gotten him exiled... he realized with a jolt that it was all her fault. Everything that had happened to him - being chased out of Water Tribe, his capture, and his horrible stay here in the stuffy Ice Tribe prison den could all be blamed on her. He felt himself filling with anger, and tried to push it away; he knew deep down inside, where the innocent optimistic part within him lay, that it was wrong to blame Leaf. The blame could just as easily fall on Smokepaw, Whitewater, Mud, or even himself.

He'd never had anything against Willow. In fact, he kind of liked the pale-furred trainee, since he was the only one who never seemed annoyed at his antics, and even participated from time to time. He didn't know much about him, but figured he was an alright cat, and less annoying that Leaf, anyway.

And then there was Frost. He _definitely _had something against Frost. The herb trainee was cold to everyone, particularly mean to Wood, acted like he was ruler of the Snowlands... just the thought of sharing a den with the icy-eyed tom for an undeterminable amount of time made him cringe.

He suddenly realized that Frost looked worse off than any of them. He had more blood matting his fur and cuts across his body, as if he'd been fighting all day. And... was he... no, not Frost, who never showed any emotions what so ever... he was shivering. Leaf and Willow both looked freezing cold, but Frost was shivering in his sleep, and Wood didn't know if he was imagining it or not, but he could have sword his lips were tinged blue.

His train of thoughts was interrupted as a young tortoiseshell she-cat entered the den with a huge wad of cobwebs in her mouth. She dropped them at Wood's paws, gazing sympathetically at the three limp forms.

"Do you need anything else?" she asked kindly, her warm green eyes shining with concern. "I guess I should bring them poppy seeds for pain, and some extra fresh kill - "

"Adder, what are you doing in there?" came a rough voice from outside. "I thought you were just giving them cobwebs!"

"I am!" she called back. "I'm just untangling them!" She gave Wood an apologetic look. "I'm Adder, the herb trainee. I'll try to come back later," she whispered, so quietly that Wood almost couldn't hear.

"C'mon, let them untangle the stupid cobwebs themselves!" called Spruce the den guard, and Wood could barely hear him muttering to himself about Adder being too nice to the prisoners as the young herb trainee darted out of the den.

It took him a moment of staring blankly at the pile of cobwebs to realize that he ought to do something with them. He was no herb cat, but he figured it couldn't be that hard to put a cobweb on a wound, right? For a moment he considered waking Frost, who would know exactly what to do, but then he was subject to a string of questions and insults. Besides, Frost gave another shiver, and Wood couldn't help but feel bad for him, so he decided to let him sleep.

He'd seen Yellowroot and Frost putting another herb on wounds before cobwebs - what was it again? Oh well, it didn't matter, since he didn't have it anyway. But maybe he should clean the wounds before patching them up... for some reason, the thought disgusted him. Sure, he'd shared tongues with his Tribemates before and licked up his own blood, but not _their _blood. But Willow and Leaf were still bleeding in some places, and the captive trainee reluctantly accepted that he had to clean up their wounds to keep them from getting infected and to keep them from losing too much blood.

He started with Leaf, as she was closest to him. The ginger she-cat was pretty even with clawmarks and blood splattered across her fur. Wood only cleaned her larger wounds, deciding that the cuts could heal themselves. She had a large gash on her side, and it took four cobwebs just to cover the length of it, and then he figured it might need more to help them stay on. It was surprisingly difficult to bandage a cat up, he realized, but after concentrating hard and an indeterminable amount of time Leaf looked like she was properly bandaged, albeit messily.

Avoiding Frost, he decided to do Willow next. Most of the young trainee's slashes were around his face and neck, which worried Wood; it didn't take an herb cat to know that neck wounds were the worst, and the most fatal. There was one gash, still bleeding, that was right next to his left eye and ran from his muzzle, across his face, to his left ear, the bottom of which was cut from the same pawslash. It left a scarlet trail across his face. Wood, used to licking up blood from Leaf but still slightly hesitant, licked up the blood by his eye first so he didn't get blood in his eyes when he opened them, and then moved slowly up his face until he decided the gash was ready for cobwebs.

Wood didn't bother with all the individual cuts on Willow's neck, instead just licking the whole neck clean and then cobwebbing all of it. Frost might say it was a waste of cobwebs, and Willow might find it hard to move his neck when he woke up, but it was easier. Other than his face and neck, there were a few deep scratches across his flank, which Wood took care of with licks and minimal cobwebs because of all the ones he'd "wasted" on his neck. He rolled the trainee over, but there was nothing interesting on the other side of his body, so he rolled him back over so he didn't have to lie on his cuts.

Priding himself on a job well done for a cat who'd never studied herbs, Wood moved on to Frost. He was sort of afraid of treating the herb trainee, mostly because when he woke up he would probably criticize everything he did, claiming he did it all wrong. That's what he always did; Frost never missed an opportunity to tell Wood he was screwing up, to make Wood look like he was screwing up, or to make Wood feel like he was screwing up. To make it simpler, Wood always felt like he was screwing up around Frost, to the ice-eyed tom's satisfaction, and to Wood's anger and annoyance.

Wood might have left Frost as he was, without cleaning any of his cuts like he did for Willow and Leaf, but there were two things stopping him. One, his heart was too big; he could never do something like that to any cat. And the other was that Frost, for some reason, looked worse off than the others. He didn't have any fatal looking wounds, or anything that appeared that deep, but he seemed much colder (the shivers gave that away) and now Wood was sure that his lips were a shade of blue. How was that possible? He bent down to lick one of his cuts, and drew back with surprise the second his tongue met the gray fur. Frost was _wet_. No wonder he was freezing cold. But how did he _get_ wet?

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed Leaf stirring. Hastily finishing up with Frost, he moved over to sit by her side. The ginger she-cat slowly opened her light green eyes, gazing at the cat sitting next to her in confusion. "Who're you?" she slurred, lifting her head to get a better look at him.

Wood forced her head back down, suddenly feeling very sorry for the exhausted, wounded she-cat. "Don't try to move. Just rest," he advised her. "It's me, Wood."

"Wood," she repeated sleepily. "Did we rescue you?"

Wood stared at her, puzzled. "Rescue me?" _Poor Leaf; she must not know what she's saying_, he thought.

"Rescue you," Leaf repeated slowly and wearily. "We wanted to rescue you... did we?"

"You came to rescue me?" meowed Wood incredulously. That wasn't possible...

"We weren't trying to rescue you this time," meowed Leaf, closing her eyes again. "We were just on patrol together, just talking about how we would do it, because we all agreed we should..." her jaws stretched into a yawn, and she winced with the pain of the action.

"Who's we?" Wood asked, his curiosity for what she was saying making him think that maybe Leaf wasn't delirious.

"Me, Willow and Frost," she meowed.

_Yep, she's definitely delirious,_ Wood decided. _Why would the three of them - particularly Frost - want to rescue me?_

"We... we know you're innocent," she stuttered, shivering slightly with the cold. "We want to help both Tribes by helping you and your friend..."

"You need to warm up," Wood interrupted, proceeded to lick the parts of her fur not swabbed in cobwebs. "C'mon, lick yourself. You need to warm up."

He could hear a conversation outside the den; someone wanted to come in. He ignored it and continued warming Leaf up, not wanting her to freeze to death. The voices from outside stopped, and in walked Tawny, with three mice in her mouth.

She saw Wood licking Leaf and froze in her tracks. Wood stopped licking. "Hey, Tawny," he meowed shakily, not knowing why he couldn't keep his voice steady or why he felt guilty for licking Leaf to keep her warm. Tawny dropped the mice, but continued staring blankly at Wood. "She, er... this is Leaf... she's really cold... I'm trying to keep her warm..." he meowed awkwardly.

As if on cue, Leaf gave a violent shiver. Tawny's eyes softened, though Wood didn't think it was possible for them to harden. He thanked Sky Tribe that Leaf had shivered, otherwise Tawny might not have believed him. "That's nice of you," she meowed, without the slightest hint of annoyance, but seeming to mean every word. She gave Wood a warm look, then turned and wordlessly exited the den.

Once she was gone, Leaf lifted her head again. "You owe me," she muttered.

Fox dung. Apparently she was more aware of the world around her than he'd thought... he decided to play dumb, hoping she was still delirious and had just said that out of nowhere.

"Owe you for what?" he asked innocently, playing dumb to make sure. "And put your head back down."

Leaf obeyed, though she was staring at him defiantly. "I'm not delirious," she snapped. Wood could feel himself blushing beneath his fur. "I never was... well, maybe when I first woke up... but then I remembered everything... I was pretty much aware of what I was telling you, I'm pretty sure I've figured out where I am, and I am aware of what just happened." Her voice was stronger than it had sounded a few moments ago, though he could still hear it shaking and could tell from her weak voice how tired and injured she was.

"Happened? Nothing happened. Taw-- that she-cat I don't know just brought us some fresh kill." He went over and got her a mouse. "You ought to eat it. It'll make you feel better."

"I just saved your butt," Leaf insisted with a weary, satisfied smirk. "You like her."

"Do not!" Wood snapped automatically.

"Do to," Leaf meowed. "I can tell. And I think she likes you back."

"I don't know what you're talking about," meowed Wood stubbornly.

"Right. Just like you don't know who she is."

Wood didn't have a comeback for that. So he answered indirectly, "Well, I don't owe you for anything; I cleaned and bandaged all your wounds."

"So we're even then," Leaf replied coolly. "You clean me up, I save you from embarrassing yourself more than you already did in front of the she-cat you like."

"I don't like her!" snapped Wood.

"Like who?" meowed a quiet, weary voice. Wood turned around to see a pair of pale green eyes staring at him.

"Nothing," meowed Wood, flashing a glare at Leaf. "I'm glad you're awake," he meowed kindly to Willow. "Do you want some fresh kill?"

"S-sure," he stammered weakly, and made like he was going to get up and get it, then fell back down. "Wh-what... my neck..."

"Stay down," Wood meowed gently. "I cobwebbed your neck, and you probably don't want to get up anyway. You look exhausted." The dusty brown tom absently wondered if cobwebbed was a word as he brought Willow the mouse.

Willow ate his mouse in silence. When he was done, Wood turned to both him and Leaf and meowed, "So, how did you get here?"

It was Leaf who answered. "I already told you. We were on patrol."

"All three of you on the same patrol?" asked Wood, not believing that Whitewater would allow it.

"No, just me and Leaf," meowed Willow. "We wanted Frost to come; we - the three of us - were plotting to save you and your friend, and we wanted to talk about it, so we all wanted to go on patrol together - "

"Weren't you afraid that someone might overhear you?" Wood asked.

Leaf shrugged. "The fighters on the patrol were Birch and Stream, and Willow took Birch's place, so there was only Stream, and you know how she runs ahead and doesn't bother with us trainees..." she trailed off. "Where's Stream?" she asked fearfully.

Willow closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to meet hers. "I saw her before I fell unconscious, Leaf..." both trainee's eyes were filling with tears. Leaf knew what was coming, but she listened anyway in case she was wrong, which she desperately hoped she was. Stream had been her trainer, after all. "She... she was... they didn't bother bringing her back here," he finally meowed.

Even Wood was upset, though Stream was another cat who never wasted an opportunity to ridicule and belittle him. No one deserved a death like that; to be killed mercilessly in battle and then just left in the snow to be forgotten. He hoped feebly that a patrol would find her body before it was buried in snow and lost forever.

The den seemed eerily silent for a long while except for the odd choked sob, each cat silently mourning Stream. Finally, when he felt they were all ready, Wood meowed cautiously, "So... what happened on patrol?"

"We were ambushed," Leaf meowed shakily, her face wet with tears. "We didn't stand a chance... we're lucky we're not dead..."

"Yeah. Your friend nearly killed me," spat Willow.

"Smokepaw?" asked Wood. "Why would he try to kill you if you were trying to save him?"

"Whatever his name is - I guess he didn't know. Either that, or he's just mad and bloodthirsty. I don't know. But watching the other fighters beat me half senseless and then pull me back up so he could do it again seemed to amuse him," meowed Willow darkly, wincing with pain from the gash on his face as he spoke.

"Well, he didn't kill you," Wood meowed in pathetic defense of Smokepaw.

"He would have if Frost hadn't pushed him off me at the last second," muttered Willow.

"I thought you said Frost wasn't on the patrol with you," meowed Wood in confusion.

"He wasn't. He just... turned up," Willow replied. "Lucky for me."

"What's up with him anyway?" asked Leaf, pulling herself into sitting position.

"You should lie back down," Wood cautioned.

"I'm fine," she meowed stubbornly. "Now what's up with Frost?"

"Dunno," meowed Wood. "He was like that when they brought you guys here. I don't know why he's so cold..."

"And wet," meowed Willow as he reached out a paw and touched Frost's gray fur. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he nearly drowned in Freezepool."

Leaf shot Wood a glare. "What?" Wood defended, knowing all too well what it meant, and it had nothing to do with their current discussion. "It was a _joke_."

"Yeah, but I could have _drowned_," Leaf replied, but she didn't seem angry; she actually seemed amused.

"You know, that's the reason I was chased out of the Tribe," Wood mused.

"You would've been chased out anyway for being with Smokepour, or whatever his name is. But maybe you should look before you leap," she added with a... grin? Wood couldn't believe it, but she was _grinning_.

"I guess I'm forgiven," Wood stated.

"Yeah," agreed Leaf. "Because if I don't forgive you, we're never getting out of here."

Suddenly Frost gave another violent shiver, and this time his eyes were opening. "C'mon, let's try to warm him up," meowed Leaf. She scooted over to him and began to lick his pelt. Wood went to help her, pausing to stop Willow before he could attempt to get up.

"Stay down," Wood told him. "Don't aggravate your neck." Willow reluctantly obeyed, watching helplessly as Wood and Leaf licked Frost.

"Wh...what are y-you doing?" Frost stammered, seeming to find his voice. "S...stop licking me."

"You're freezing wet and cold," Leaf objected. "And I don't know about you, but _we _don't want you to die."

"Speaking of which, _why _are you wet?" Wood asked, bursting with curiosity.

Frost narrowed his eyes at Wood. "Oh great. Are we trapped in a prison den with _him_?"

"Shut up!" snapped Wood. "I cleaned up all your wounds for you - and don't tell me I did a bad job with the cobwebs, because I'm no herb cat, but at least I tried!"

Frost closed his eyes again. "You _did _do a bad job."

"What? You..." Wood looked like he was ready to lunge at Frost.

"Stop," hissed Leaf. Wood dug his claws into the ice. "Now, why are you wet?"

"Why are you injured?" Frost retorted.

"I was in battle!"

"There's your answer, then."

"You don't get wet from being in battle," Willow pointed out.

Frost rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

Willow, Leaf and Wood exchanged glances. "Care to elaborate?" asked Leaf.

"Not really," muttered Frost.

Suddenly, Willow's pale green eyes widened. He had put together two and two. There was his conversation with Leaf what seemed like ages ago about Yellowroot not liking her trainee... there was Frost's disdain... Yellowroot's refusal to let him come on patrol... he stared at Frost in awe. "No way..."

"Way," muttered Frost. "Now leave me alone." He pointedly rolled over to face away from them, though it obviously pained him to do so.

"Do _you_ care to elaborate?" Leaf asked Willow.

"I can give you my guess, but I'm not sure I'm right," meowed Willow. He looked to Frost for permission to continue, but the gray furred trainee was now facing away, so he continued. "Tell me if I'm wrong, Frost, but did Yellowroot attack you?"

Leaf and Wood gasped. No matter how much they did or didn't like Yellowroot, neither believed that she'd attack her own trainee.

Frost didn't reply. They all took that as a yes, so Willow ventured, "Did she... did she try to drown you in the Freezepool?"

Leaf and Wood looked from Willow to Frost in horror. Even if she'd attacked him, she wouldn't... would she?

"Where is she now?" Willow asked quietly.

"I... I killed her," Frost whispered, and he seemed genuinely upset. The other three prisoners gawked at him. "I didn't want to... but I had to... otherwise I wouldn't be here." His icy armor seemed to temporarily disappear, and for a moment Wood was able to see into the heart of a distraught trainee... and then the barrier returned. "Now _leave me alone_."

Leaf, Willow and Wood obeyed him this time. Leaf and Wood sat opposite Willow so he wouldn't have to move, forming a little circle for their discussion so they could analyze this new development and plan their next move while Wood ate the last mouse.

"So, Yellowroot's dead... this leaves Water Tribe incredibly vulnerable," meowed Wood with his mouth full. "Should we tell Dark?"

"Are you insane?" meowed Leaf. "Why would we tell _Dark_?"

Wood realized with a start that they knew nothing about the eight traitors. He figured it was alright to tell them, so he told them everything he knew about Dark and his group of traitors, and surprisingly remembered the name of each cat.

"So, _should_ we tell Dark?" asked Willow when Wood finished.

"I don't see why not," meowed Leaf. "Though I don't understand how Dark plans on making peace. The only way seems to be to murder Stoneice and everyone loyal to him, and I don't know how taking over Water Tribe would achieve that. All that would do is make more cats loyal to Stoneice."

"What if Dark is lying?" Frost asked. Two heads turned to him in surprise. Willow tried to turn his head and failed. Frost was still facing away from them, but he continued, "What if he's lying just so he can get information like this out of you?"

"He's not," meowed Wood firmly.

"How do you know?" asked Leaf.

"He brought three other cats in with him, gave me the names of who was with him, he's been sending me fresh kill, he's been kind to me..."

"It could all be an act," muttered Frost cynically.

"I _know_ it's not," meowed Wood. "You'll see when you meet him. You've got to trust me."

"Fine," meowed Willow. Leaf didn't reply. "But you guys are forgetting something. In order to make peace, you not only have to kill Stoneice and everyone loyal to him... but you have to kill Whitewater and everyone loyal to her."

"How do we do that?" asked Leaf. "We don't even know if there are any cats besides us _disloyal _to her!"

"Once she's dead, many cats will switch sides," Frost put in. "The trick is weeding out those who won't."

"Stop!" Wood meowed suddenly. "This is making my head hurt."

"Me too," Willow admitted.

"How about we sleep and talk more in the morning?" Leaf suggested.

"I like that idea," meowed Wood with a yawn, curling up right where he was.

"Me too," Willow repeated sleepily. Frost didn't reply, but agreed wholeheartedly. Before they knew it, all three of the four prisoners were fast asleep.

But one remained awake. When he was sure his friends were asleep, he got up and padded to the front of the den, waiting for the time of night when a certain she-cat would come to visit.

* * *

**Wowness! Guess how long this chapter is! Almost 4,000 words! Actually, it's 3,959, but "almost 4,000" sounds better. And that's just the chapter, by the way. With author's notes and review replies, it's waaay over 4,000, but you don't care about that.**

**Anyways, to backtrack a little to the beginning part of the chapter which everyone probably forgot about, I love Wood's awkwardness about Tawny ;) it makes me want to hug him, especially since he's so bad at playing dumb. I love you, Wood! (hugs)**

**Hopefully this chapter was nice and long enough to make up for the long wait. See you next chapter!**

Moonstar


	22. Chosen World

**Adi Sagestar:** I love them too, but I have a lot of other people saying I focus too much on Frost and the other trainees and not enough time on Smokepaw, which is kinda true, you all started reading this because of Smokepaw, not them... so I guess I'll do more Smokepaw for now. But don't worry, Earthroot isn't done yet... (snickers)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** you bet it would be hard. But I'm sure Dark has some ideas... ;)

**Shaded-Strike:** (gives Frost plushie) (huggles Frost and Wood)

**Rabbitstorm: **hey, my dad was reading over my shoulder when I read your review (grrr) and he said, "what the heck is a rabbitstorm?" and then walked away...heh... stupid grownups. XD

**The Awesomeness of Moosey:** thanks :)

**Faunamon: **hey, in my defense, that's the kind of thing spell check doesn't find, since sword is a word... and yes, I actually used spell check! (normally I'm too lazy, so I just proof read it, but I actually used spell check that time!!)

**Flametail:** (avoids tackle)

**TawnyLeaf: **no, I'm not dead. Stream is dead. All my favorite characters from the books are dead. But I live.

**Shadow of the Nights: **you never know...

**Peachfoot:** alright, alright... I'll find some Smoke x Leaf time, because I miss it too, and I'm afraid it'll become Leaf x Frost, which would be cute too, but I like Smokepaw with her better, I think. :)

**mapleleaf:** yep, that's Frost. He can be a brat, but that's why we love him. XD and they _are _dumb as bugs. Isn't everyone? XP

**skizzers:** I'll tell you what I told Faunamon, your fellow stalker and spellchecker: sword isn't a word that microsoft word spell check finds, because sword is actually a word, so you can't blame me for that... and yes, last chapter I spellchecked! Be proud! (normally I'm lazy and I just proofread it)

**Weezalicious:** ooh, I felt so proud for using a vocab word in the story, and it fit well. _Albeit_: even though, or despite. In the sentence I used it in, it pretty much meant, "Leaf looked properly bandaged, even though it was a bit messy."

**Silverstar's Shadow:** oh yay, a new reviewer on board. Ok, so you need the normal warnings: Do not pet the kitties. Frost and Smokepaw will bite you. Actually, I think everyone should keep that in mind... and I am not responsible for cat bites. Willow and Wood are insane. So is the author. Beware. If you keep the warnings in mind, you _should_ be safe reading. :)

**Chapter 22**

Tawny was sleepy. Very sleepy. She would have been content just to curl up in her den and go to sleep. There was no point in staying up for Wood anymore anyways. He had company now, and that had been the only reason he wanted her to come, right? He even had a she-cat. So if he already had company and a she-cat, there was not reason for her to stay up half the night to go see him, when he would probably have gone to sleep already and wouldn't even care.

But for some reason, _she _cared. So, tired as she was, she couldn't fall asleep, and when she heard Leopard exiting the den to take third shift, the small trainee got up with her.

Tawny followed silently, the snow crunching softly beneath her paws. They passed Auburn, a lean brown tabby who'd had second shift, but the young fighter didn't notice the trainee silently following the third shift guard. Even Leopard didn't notice Tawny following her until she reached the den, when she turned around and saw a shadow on her heels. She waited anxiously for a second before the shadow came into view. "Tawny?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

Tawny hadn't actually thought about her excuse for Leopard. _Fox dung_.

"What's wrong?" asked Leopard in confusion, noticing shy trainee's hesitation.

"I, er, uh... I um, promised one of the prisoners I'd uh, visit him during your shift..."

Leopard raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean the one you like?"

"What - no!" Tawny defended.

"Relax, Tawny, I won't tell anyone," meowed Leopard with a smirk.

"Wood's nothing but a prisoner," snapped Tawny. "I don't like him!"

"Ooh, so that's his name?" Leopard inquired.

"Yea - no! I don't know his name!"

"You just said it," Leopard pointed out.

"I, er, heard one of the other cats call him that! It might not actually be his name," Tawny countered lamely.

"Riiight," mewed Leopard.

"Shut up," Tawny snapped loudly.

"You've never been one to be rude, Tawny," Leopard remarked, her face expressionless. "Nor have you ever been one to yell. You normally talk so quietly... and you chose a very bad time to shout. I'll bet the whole camp heard you, including your friend."

Tawny paled, completely forgetting to think of a retort. They were standing right next to the den. He must have heard...

As it was, Wood had drifted off to sleep, and had been woken up by a loud "Shut up!". He figured it must be Tawny trying to get into the den, and sure enough, a moment later, the small trainee walked in.

"Hey," she mewed awkwardly.

"Hey," Wood replied energetically, trying to pretend he'd never been asleep. He didn't want her to think he hadn't been waiting all night...

"Look," meowed Tawny, staring at the ground as if in embarresment. "About what I just said..."

Wood tilted his head in confusion. "What's wrong with 'hey'? I said it too," he meowed.

"No, I mean before that, outside the den..."

"I didn't hear anything," meowed Wood. "What did you say?"

Tawny's ears warmed to the tip. She felt her skin pinking in embarresment. He hadn't even heard, and now she'd gone and told him! This was_ awkward_.

"I, er..." Tawny thought fast for an excuse for the second time in minutes. "I shouted, and it looks like it woke you up. Sorry," she meowed.

Wood seemed to glow with happiness. "It's alright," he mewed, completely missing the flaw in her excuse, not even noticing her odd hesitation in his excitement. "I'm just glad your here."

Tawny's green eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really," meowed Wood. "My Tribemates are boring. One of them hates me. You're much more fun."

"How do you know?" Tawny couldn't help but asking, a picture of Wood licking the ginger she-cat coming to mind. "You've barely spent a minute with me."

"I can tell," Wood meowed quietly.

"What about... her?" asked Tawny, forgetting the name of the sleeping ginger she-cat in the corner of the den.

"Oh, Leaf?" meowed Wood absently. "She's freakishly annoying. Hey, do you want to hear a story?"

"About what?" asked Tawny, for some reason feeling relieved that he thought Leaf was annoying.

"It's kinda long, but it's fun," meowed Wood.

"Alright..."

"Great!" meowed Wood, eager to tell her. She wondered if she'd ever seen any cat so energetic. "So, my friend Smokepaw - hey, you know him! He's the one who Stoneice _thinks_ is the Shaded Talons." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He shoved his muzzle into the dirt. "Don't tell anybody that," he whispered.

Tawny had to admit she was curious, but her curiousity in matters far greater than herself was less than her desire to talk to Wood, just to hear the sound of his voice telling a story. "I promise I won't," she meowed sincerely. "Go on."

Wood sighed with relief, lifting his muzzle out of the dirt, then continued the story as if the interruption had never occured. "Well, Leaf's really annoying, you know. Back in Water Tribe, she and the other trainees used to gossip about how annoying _I _was, when _she_ must have been the most annoying she-cat in the entire Snowlands. So one day, Smokepaw appeared..." he saw Tawny's questioning look. "I'll explain later. Anyway, I was his first friend," he meowed proudly. "I was going to give him a tour of camp..." It seemed like _ages_ ago... "But Stream and Leaf insisted I couldn't come." He thought sadly of Stream, pushing away a disturbing image of a dead, bloody body buried in snow that came to mind. "And Leaf was particularly annoying about it, and I could tell she was _flirting_ with Smokepaw, and he was annoyed too. So, I followed the tour, and as they walked back by Freezepool - this frozen pond on our territory - I kinda, well, I pushed Leaf in."

Tawny burst out in laughter. She didn't know why it was so funny, it just was. "You pushed her into a freezing cold lake?" she laughed.

"Yeah," meowed Wood proudly with a bit of sheepishness. "You think it's funny?"

"Yeah," Tawny admitted, still not knowing exactly why she found it so amusing.

"Water Tribe didn't think so," Wood murmured darkly. The glowing bubble of energy that seemed to radiate around him went out for a second.

"What?"

"Nothing," meowed the dusty brown tom dismissively, his air of energy returning. But now Tawny was curious.

"I'll bet you got in a lot of trouble," Tawny remarked casually.

"You have no idea," muttered Wood. His energy bubble flickered and died. "As Stream..." he trailed off, remembering the gray fighter again. He felt Tawny hesitantly yet comfortingly brushing her flank against his.

"Was she... the cat that Yew killed?" she asked timidly, wondering if she was right in doing so.

Wood nodded slowly. "I don't know who killed her, but someone did. She was never that nice to me, but she didn't deserve to die like that..."

"Go on with your story," meowed Tawny quietly.

Wood sniffed, took a deep breath, and went on. "Stream hauled Leaf out of the water and shouted that I might have killed her... and who knows, if Stream hadn't helped her out, then maybe I could have. I doubt it, though. Anyway, she took Leaf straight back to camp, while Smokepaw and I went the long way. When we got back, we were surrounded by my own Tribemates. They decided I was a killer - how fishbrained is that? So they _imprisoned_ me." He noticed the look of horror on Tawny's face. For some reason, he'd been hoping for a reaction of that sort out of her. "It was Mud's idea," he meowed with disgust. "I _hate_ that cat."

"Word has it his mate just had kits," Tawny meowed, trying to change the subject. Unfortunately, this only succeeded in getting Wood more upset.

"They're my kin," he whispered. "Mud's kits are my kin." He didn't seem happy at all about this; he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Is... is his mate your sister?" asked Tawny. Wood nodded numbly. "You can't hate the kits because of their father, Wood. Love them because of their mother."

"I don't like her either," growled Wood. "But I could never hate those kits. Ever. Not only are they my kin, but they're _kits_. They're innocent. It would be wrong to hate them."

Tawny's green eyes glowed with compassion. "That's smart," she replied quietly. "I've known a lot of cats to hate innocent kits because of their parents... I guess you're not one of them." Wood nodded again.

"Tawny!" came Leopard's voice from outside. "Sand is coming for fourth shift shortly. You need to get out of there."

"Get some sleep, and feel better," Tawny meowed as she got up and started towards the exit. Wood tilted his head questioningly. Feel better? "You've got a lot on your mind," she explained. "You're a happy cat at heart, despite all the things in your life that try to make you sad, and might break any other cat... you're strong, Wood. You've just got to keep it up."

Wood felt temporarily at a loss for words. His bright amber eyes shone with emotion. All he managed to get out was a quiet, "Thanks for coming." But the sincerity and meaning behind those three words was not lost on Tawny, and her green eyes were glittering as she left the den.

OOOOO

_Smokepaw was wandering through an unfamiliar forest. He had no idea how he got there, and he knew he'd never seen it before, but somehow it felt strangely familiar. It seemed a lot like ShadowClan territory; there were thick pine trees all around with the occasional large rock, abandoned badger set, or sticky patch of marsh or mud. A wave of homesickness hit him, but he pushed it away; homesickness wasn't going to get him home._

_Suddenly, a gray blur rushed past him. Before he had time to react, two more blurs ran by. The second two blurs pounced on the first and started mercilessly tearing at his fur. The gray blur, who Smokepaw was now able to make out as a small smoky gray tom, was wriggling and crying for help, but no one was around to hear. For some reason, the other two cats appeared to be set on killing him._

_Smokepaw found himself rooted to the spot. He didn't know if he could have moved had he wanted to, but he really didn't. This wasn't his fight. If those two cats wanted to kill the other one, it was a fine, as long as it didn't have anything to do with him, right? Besides, if he got involved, he might get himself hurt. No point in sacrificing himself in a pointless battle that wasn't his._

_Suddenly, the squirming, crying cat seemed to notice him. For some reason, Smokepaw had thought himself to be invisible before then, as none of the three cats had noticed him, but the tortured young tom twisted his head to look at him. Two identical pairs of yellow eyes met, and with a jolt Smokepaw realized that he recognized the victim._

_"Smokepaw," he rasped. "Smokepaw, help..."_

_"Talonpaw!" cried Smokepaw, and suddenly found himself bounding towards his brother. "I'm coming, Talonpaw..."_

_But as he leapt to sink his claws into his brother's tormentors, the vision vanished beneath him, and the pelts he'd wanted to tear to pieces dissolved in his claws like sand. He hit the icy ground with a loud smack, and barely saved his paw from twisting beneath him... wait, icy ground?_

_When the ShadowClan apprentice looked up, he was surrounded by ice and snow, in a place that must have been somewhere in the Snowlands._

_"No, let me go back!" he cried to the sky, hoping that some cat in Sky Tribe or StarClan or whoever could hear him might listen. "Talonpaw is dying! I need to save him!" he felt tears brimming his eyes, and vainly scolded himself for being soft, but didn't have much time to do so as another battle unfolded in front of him._

_Two cats were engaged in a fierce battle. At first, their locked forms looked like one single heap of dusty brown fur, but as he looked closer, he realized one pelt was a bit darker. The two fighters released each other and skidded backwards. The darker one barred his teeth and spat, then crouched into an intimidating battle stance. The lighter one made no aggressive move, but to Smokepaw's surprise, took a step back._

Coward,_ thought Smokepaw as the darker one took advantage of the lighter one's lack of defense and sprang on top of him._

_"No, you don't want to do this!" the lighter one cried, for some reason not making any move to defend himself. "Stop! I'm your brother!"_

_With a shock, Smokepaw remembered Talonpaw. He looked on with disdain as the darker cat, who he took to be the older littermate, pinned his brother down and clawed at his fur. He wanted to rescue his brother. This cat wanted to kill his. It didn't make sense, but he didn't care. He just wanted to go back to Talonpaw._

_Suddenly, just like before, the lighter cat seemed to notice him. He looked at him with the same desperate look as Talonpaw, and with a wave of horror, Smokepaw again recognized the victim and the bright amber eyes staring into his._

_"Smokepaw!" he cried. "Smokepaw, help!"_

_"I'm coming!" Smokepaw yowled, and found himself racing towards his friend. "I'm coming, Wood..."_

_But just as he reached Wood and his dark pelted attacker, they dissolved, just as Talonpaw and his tormentors had. Without warning, the two scenes reappeared on either side of him. To his right, a huge gray tabby lifted a claw to strike the final blow of Talonpaw's life. To his left, the dark pelted tom opened his jaws to sink his teeth into Wood's throat._

_"No!" yowled Smokepaw. He turned one way to run to Talonpaw, then wheeled around to go to Wood, then Talonpaw, then Wood..._

You can't be split between two worlds_, meowed a voice out of the sky._ Choose the world you belong in...

My world needs you! _called Wood's voice._ You're the Falling Smoke that'll bring peace to the Snowlands...

We want you back, Smokepaw!_ begged Talonpaw._

Smokepaw... _came Leaf's soft mewl._ I... never got the chance...

To finish your training_, meowed Oakfur. _Come back, and I'll turn to into a full-fledged warrior of ShadowClan...

_Suddenly, Smokepaw no longer seemed to be in control of himself; some inner force deep down inside of him made his choice. He turned and dashed at Wood, just in time to save his life. Behind him, Talonpaw's last yowl echoed throughout the icy landscape._

_"You belong here, Smokepaw," Wood whispered. "And we're with you. You can do this..."_

Smokepaw woke with cold sweat matting his fur. He was lying in a pool of blood, but as he moved around a bit, he could tell he was no longer bleeding. Duskroot must have cobwebbed him... he wondered if Duskroot was also the cause of his nightmare. He prayed that he'd never have to make a choice like that... but he knew what he'd chosen in his dream, and somehow, he knew that's what he'd choose in real life. He was needed here... he was wanted here... and he had a prophecy to fulfill. He'd be a coward if he just walked out.

And Wood was with him. But he'd said we're... there must be other cats on his side. A little while ago, he wouldn't have cared in the slightest, and would have said that those cats could go eat their own tails. But now, it made him feel warm inside. It made him feel that much stronger, that much safer.

* * *

**Hey, I would have moved the story along and gone straight to our little chat with Dark, but I had a lot of requests for Smokepaw... so here's a little scene from Smokepaw's POV. I just realized how long it's been since I've done an in-depth look like that into his character... so thanks to everyone who asked for it. No, it wasn't really a dream from Sky Tribe, it was just a little something to get a peek into Smokepaw's mind. Interpret it as you wish.**

**And by the way, I was really tempted to write "warm and fuzzy inside" but I refrained. Smokepaw isn't a random insane author like me. XD**

**Next chapter we get moving again... so buckle your seatbelts. (cliche, I know... so double buckle with a combination lock on top.)**

**Moonstar**


	23. Whitewater's Trainee

**Hey, I'm back (I know, it feels like I've been gone or something...) blame school. I really have no time to live my life anymore. I think we oughta just skip school forever... ANYWAY, to the story. That's why you're here anyways.**

**Peachfoot:** I might. I'd work. And it'd be cute-ish. Frost needs a she-cat like Leaf. Or Leaf might be torn. Poor her... we'll have to wait and see.

**Shaded-Strike:** isn't she though? I love them. (hugs)

**Adi Sagestar:** I've got some stuff planned... you'll see...

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** yeah, it kind of would, but he might go back someday, because he returns in The Sight. I know it's just a typo on Erin Hunter's part, but he might have gone back... I'm brainstorming.

**Oceanwind:** yes it is. That was sad. Especially since Talonpaw had a really cool name. :(

**Strangefur: **hyperness is fun...

**Faunamon:** again, those are the kinds of things that SpellCheck doesn't catch... blame Microsoft Word!! (claws up the computer program)

**Moletail of the Squeaky Cats:** I know! I love Talonpaw even more now. Dunno why I liked him before, but that's besides the point. I might have to write a oneshot on him at some point...dunno.

**Flametail:** I actually have no idea. I kinda have things planned out in my head, but sometimes I expand on events I didn't plan on and the story gets longer, or the other way around. Like Smokepaw's dream wasn't planned, but everyone wanted a Smokepaw scene... hey Smokepaw, the people love you. ;) I'd say there's more left than you think.

**Rabbitstorm:** poor Talonpaw is right. I really like him for some reason. He has a cool name XD

**Weezalicious:** um, what? (tries to make sense of the sentence) hey, say that ten times fast...

**Shadow of the Nights:** I could do that with Mud and Amber. That might actually make a good side scene... we'll see. :)

**Chapter 23**

"Dunno why Wood's not waking up," meowed Leaf, prodding Wood with her forepaw.

"Maybe he was up late," Leopard suggested innocently. She and Dark had seated themselves at the far wall of the den, where any cat looking in from outside couldn't see them.

"Why would he be up late?" wondered Willow, "And my nose is itchy again," he complained.

"It wouldn't be itchy if you didn't make me keep scratching it for you," Leaf scolded. Willow was still sprawled out on the ground with a mass of cobwebs around his neck, in the same position as the day before. Adder, Duskroot's apprentice, had told him to try and move as little as possible, and not even to move his claws, because in doing so he might unconsciously move his neck. Conviniently, once she told him this, his nose became itchy.

He gave her a pleading look, making his pale green eyes as big as possible. "Fine," she muttered, walking over and gently scratching his muzzle for him.

"We're allowed to talk without Wood, you know," Frost informed them, adding an impatient eye-roll to emphasize his point.

"But he'll want to have a say in the discussion," Leaf insisted, lifting her paw off Willow's muzzle.

"Then it's his fault for being a log," Frost retorted.

"I'll have to side with your friend here," Dark meowed in his low, authorative voice. "We'd love to hear this bit of important information you've called us here for."

"Yeah, we're dying in suspense!" called Raccoon, currently on den guard, poking his head into the den.

Dark turned and glared at him. "Raccoon, if you must eavesdrop, do _not _stick your head it. Do you _want_ to draw suspicion?"

"Sorry," the young warrior muttered, withdrawing from view.

"_Anyway_," prompted Leopard, her tail swishing from side to side in anticipation, and sweeping little piles of dirt on either side of her.

"Right," meowed Leaf, the self-nominated spokescat. "It's really Frost's information, if he'd like to share it - "

"No."

"Alright, then I will," meowed Leaf, ignoring Frost's glare. "We, er..." she hesitated. The words about to come out of her mouth could kill them. If Dark and his band weren't on their side, then this might end all hope of peaceful life in the Snowlands, and they'd be dead cats. She wished Wood was awake; he was so confident in Dark and his friends that just a glance from him would have reassured her. Instead she looked to Willow, who offered a slight shrug, then a shiver of pain from the simple movement of his shoulder blades. Not exactly reassuring.

"Go on," meowed Dark calmly.

"Yellowroot is dead," she blurted out.

She could tell that Dark was trying to maintain his calm, impassive appearance, yet she caught the momentary flicker of surprise in his dark blue eyes.

"What did you say?" Leopard asked, her shock much more evident in her expression.

"I believe you heard what she said," meowed Dark. He turned his gaze to Frost. "It was you who figured this out?" Frost nodded slightly. "And how do you know this?" Obviously, the rebel leader didn't want to assume things without reliable evidence.

"I saw," he meowed shortly.

"Saw what?" demanded Dark. "Can you be sure she's dead?"

"Yes," Frost meowed quietly, evading the pair of dark blue eyes and instead choosing to observe the twitching grasshopper on the ground. It looked like it was dying, and he didn't really want to watch, but it was better than looking into Dark's eyes and letting him see the answer for himself.

"If you can't give me a direct answer, I can't be sure you're telling the truth," meowed Dark patiently, yet sounding annoyed at the same time.

"He killed her," Leaf blurted. Frost swung his gaze over to her and gave him one of his infamous glares, his icy eyes burning into her. "Sorry," she murmured. "It had to be said."

"It did," Dark confirmed.

Leopard padded over to Frost and rested her tail on his back compassionately. "It's alright," she meowed comfortingly.

Frost shrugged her off. "It's _not _alright," he snapped. "She's _dead._ I _killed _a cat. My _trainer_. An _herb cat_. It's _not _alright."

"Actually, you may have done a great thing for the cats of the Snowlands in the long run," meowed Dark, not meaning to be comforting, but falling back on logic. "With Yellowroot dead and her trainee probably presumed to be captured or dead, this leaves Water Tribe very open to attack. I assume this is why you considered it so important to tell us this."

Leaf nodded. The more she spoke to Dark and Leopard, the more the trusted them. Leopard was kind and compassionate, and there was something about Dark that made her feel safe. Maybe it was his aura of authority, his calm demeanor, his somewhat mysterious element that she couldn't pinpoint, or his realist attitude and logic. But there was definitely something to him that made him trustworthy. Not just trustworthy to his word, but with lives in his paws. Qualities that would make him a good leader.

"So where do we go from here?" asked Willow.

"Give him a minute. He's thinking," meowed Leopard.

Dark's tail was curled around his forepaws, and his eyes were looking straight into the wall, as if he were in another world. The illusion lasted only for a moment, for he suddenly came back to Earth, the cloud that seemed to be hazing his eyes disappearing with a blink as if it had never existed.

"The best course of action to me seems to be taking over Water Tribe while they're in their state of disarray," he finally meowed.

"But we can't tell Stoneice!" Leaf protested.

"Who said anything about telling Stoneice?" meowed Dark, his dark blue eyes revealing the thought process whirling in his mind.

"I see where this is going," Leopard cut in. "Not me. I'm supposed to get a trainee soon."

"Who else?" asked Dark.

"Wait - I'm confused," mewed Willow. "Did I miss something?"

"Me too," Leaf admitted. Frost remained silent, watching expectantly as the discussion unfolded.

Leopard sighed. "Dark wants me to lead a patrol to take over. Right?" she asked him. He nodded. "But I'm supposed to receive a trainee. Night's kits are becoming trainees, and I'm getting one. I can't leave. They'll notice me gone."

"So who'll lead it?" asked Leaf. "I mean, who won't be noticed missing who you guys can cover for? Is there anyone?"

"I'll do it!" Raccoon called from outside, his voice filled with eagerness.

"Shhh!" hissed Dark, whirling around to face the entrance. "Stop shouting so the whole camp can hear you!"

"What about Flake? He's the most senior of the rebels besides you and I," Leopard suggested.

"No. I have another idea," meowed Dark thoughtfully. "Yes, that'll work... that'll work well. Alright. Thank you for your information. We'll let you know how it goes."

"Wait," mewed Willow. "Who's leading it? Who's going?"

"I think I'll send Flake, Raccoon, Creek, Reed, and Tawny," answered Dark. "They'll be able to get away."

"That's not enough to take over a Tribe," Leaf pointed out.

"No, but it's enough to corner and kill a leader and then get a Tribe's attention," countered Dark.

"Wait. You want to assassinate Whitewater?" Leaf meowed fearfully.

Dark nodded firmly. "Don't say a word," he meowed as Leaf and Willow opened their mouths to protest. "I understand you still being somewhat loyal to her. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Whitewater is keeping peace out of the Snowlands, and it's the only way to secure Water Tribe."

"What'll they do if they're successful?" asked Leopard.

"_When_ they're successful, they'll tell Water Tribe about their intentions. They should claim to be a group of rebels from Ice Tribe, not affiliated with me. They should try to make it look like Whitewater attacked them first."

"Why don't they just _not_ kill Whitewater?" Willow inquired, his pale eyes showing his uncertainty and discomfort with the decision.

"She's in the way," Dark meowed shortly. "And it's easier to control a Tribe when they're in disarray, like Water Tribe will be without a leader or an herb cat." He turned to Leopard. "That's enough. Let's get going. I need to organize this." The dark tom and the tortoiseshell she-cat turned to leave.

"Wait." Frost's voice stopped them as he spoke up for the first time.

"No more questions. I'm handling this," meowed Dark in his low voice, signifying the end of the discussion. He turned back to the exit.

"Who's leading the patrol?" Frost persisted, his icy eyes searching the rebel leader.

"A friend."

"Who? How do we know we can trust this "friend"?" Frost demanded.

"I know," Dark meowed shortly.

"Who is it?"

"None of your concern," meowed Dark, flicking off the question like a dead bug. He met Frost's eyes, a contest between solid dark and light blue. "We need to leave," Dark growled. He turned around and walked out behind Leopard, leaving Frost to glare after him.

A tense silence in the prison den followed. Frost held his gaze with the exit, as if Dark would suddenly reappear and challenge him to a staring contest.

"Hey, Leaf," meowed Willow hesitantly, breaking the silence, "Can you itch my nose again?"

OOOOO

Smokepaw was drifting in and out of a troubled sleep. As he awakened yet again, he heard voices coming from outside the herb den.

"...I don't care if he's still injured," came Stoneice's gruff voice. "They're _his _friends. He should be the one to fetch them and take the fall if he's wrong."

"If you insist," meowed Duskroot submissively.

The ShadowClan apprentice heard and felt pawsteps entering the den. He tried to will Stoneice to go away, wishing he could just go back to sleep, to no avail.

"Talon, wake up," the leader of Ice Tribe demanded. "You said your _friends_ have valuable information to offer? It's time to get it." He nudged Smokepaw none too lightly.

Realizing he had no choice, the dark apprentice attempted to get to his paws. Stoneice offered no help, watching as Smokepaw struggled and finally staggered himself upright. "Are you ready yet?" he hissed impatiently. Smokepaw glared at him in response. "Come on then," he commanded. "I'll be in my den. Go fetch one of your _friends_ for interview."

"Which one?" asked Smokepaw weakly, silently cursing himself for allowing his voice to betray his physical state.

Stoneice stopped to consider the question. "Whitewater's trainee." Without another word, he turned stalked out to wait in his den.

_Wait, Whitewater doesn't have a trainee_, was Smokepaw's first thought. And then he remembered. He'd told Stoneice that... _Leaf_ was Whitewater's trainee. He felt a stone of fear in his belly; he didn't want Stoneice to hurt her. _No. I don't care,_ he told himself, _she's just a stupid prisoner. A really annoying stupid prisoner._

Smokepaw walked into the prison den, trying to look confident. Oakfur had always told him that if you act confident, your enemies will think you're confident, and then you'll become confident. It seemed to work. He could hear Willow talking from outside, but the second he came in, the trainee's voice came to an abrupt halt. The den was filled with an awkward silence, three pairs of eyes fixed and glaring at Smokepaw, with the ShadowClan apprentice glaring right back.

Finally, Smokepaw broke the silence. "What's wrong with Wood?" he asked, surprising himself as he spoke. He was there to summon a prisoner. He shouldn't care if another prisoner was curled up in a ball in the corner. But Wood was his friend, and though he might not have been high on friendship or the support of others, he was raised by the warrior code, and knew the value of loyalty. Wood was a valuable ally; but there was more to it than that. He was something Smokepaw had never known before, but he was glad to have - a friend.

Leaf shrugged. She hesitated before answering, "We don't know. He's just...asleep. Maybe he didn't get much sleep last night." She paused. "Why do _you _care, anyways?" she growled defensively.

"Yeah, why are _you_ here?" snarled Willow, his pale green eyes alight with fury Leaf didn't know the calm, light-hearted trainee possessed.

"I think we can assume he didn't just stop by to say hi, so he must have a reason," Frost meowed flatly. "And we might want to listen and find out what it is."

Smokepaw had been silently glaring at the group, sizing up their injuries and weaknesses like his ShadowClan instinct had taught him. He sensed his opportunity to speak. "I've come for Whitewater's trainee," he meowed, trying to sound forceful and threatening.

"You're a fishbrain. Whitewater doesn't have a trainee," spat Willow.

"No, _you're_ a fishbrain. He knows that," Frost snapped. Willow gave him a questioning look. The gray-furred trainee rolled his ice blue eyes. "I assume you're still on our side," he meowed to Smokepaw.

Smokepaw almost jumped. Almost. But he refused to show that he was startled and annoyed that Frost had pointed that out in front of everyone else.

"He's not on our side," Willow snarled. "Didn't you see him try to kill me?"

"How do you know he's on our side?" asked Leaf quietly.

"He gave me his word," Frost meowed shortly.

"And how do you know I haven't gone back on my word?" Smokepaw challenged.

"Because we're not dead yet," Frost retorted.

There was another silence. Smokepaw cursed himself for not having a comeback, while the other cats racked their brains for faults in Frost's statement.

"We could be alive on Stoneice's command, not some random wildclaw," Willow pointed out.

Frost rolled his eyes again. "Fishbrain. Why do you think Stoneice didn't finish you off when they ambushed us?"

Willow paused. "Uhh..."

"Do you really think that there was any value in you, or reason enough to keep you alive? No, the smart little cat of the prophecy over there weaseled us out of it," Frost meowed in his usual condescending tone.

Smokepaw and Willow spoke at the same time.

"Who're you calling little?" growled Smokepaw.

"I'm not the only one there was no reason to keep alive," Willow muttered.

"C'mon, you two were getting along nicely," Leaf complained.

"Great. So now are we going to get a friendship speech?" Frost meowed irritably.

Smokepaw had had enough. "Look. Sorry to break up the argument or whatever, but I need Whitewater's trainee," he meowed sharply. Leaf and Willow stared at him blankly.

Frost rolled his eyes again. "That's you, Leaf."

Leaf paused. "Oh... so I'm pretending to be Whitewater's trainee?"

"No, you're pretending to be Tealwater of SkyTribe," Frost meowed sarcastically.

Leaf glared at him. "Just don't murder Willow while I'm gone, alright?" And with that, she followed Smokepaw out of the den.

OOOOO

"You are helping us, aren't you," Leaf stated as she followed Smokepaw across camp. The yellow-eyed tom didn't reply, stalking ahead stubbornly, so she continued, "You must be helping us, otherwise you wouldn't be pretending I was Whitewater's trainee when you know I'm not, right?"

"Shh!" hissed Smokepaw. "Are you _trying _to get yourself killed?"

"I'm right, though," Leaf persisted.

"Are you_ always _this annoyingly talkative?" Smokepaw asked irritably.

Leaf thought about it. She'd always been a bit talkative, but seemingly more so around this strange cat called Talon, or Smokepour, as Wood called him; wait, maybe it was Smokepad, Smokeclaw... something weird like that. Wait, Smokepaw. That was it. Not that she cared.

"I'm _not _annoyingly talkative," Leaf retorted lamely.

"Hate to break it to you, but yes you are," Smokepaw pointed out bluntly. They stopped outside Stoneice's den. "Now _please _don't screw everything up, or else we're all dead cats, okay?"

Leaf paused. "I'll try."

Smokepaw nodded, then turned and started padding away. Leaf took a step towards Stoneice's den, then looked back over her shoulder. "Hey, Smokepaw," she called after him. Startled and wondering how she knew his name, the smoke-pelted tom turned around.

"Thanks," Leaf meowed softly.

Smokepaw merely nodded and then turned away again. His simple gesture couldn't possibly show the thoughts and emotions whirling in his mind. How did she know his name? Probably Wood. Stupid Wood had let his name slip, and he could only pray that she didn't reveal it to Stoneice. Also, why was she thanking him? For helping them? But he'd never actually confirmed in words that he was helping them, and he wasn't really helping them, per se, just giving them a push in the right direction...

He shook his head, as if it would clear his mind. He had more important things to worry about.

* * *

**Notes on the chapter:**

**_wildclaw_: a violent or reckless cat. You knew this already; it's just in case you forgot ;)**

**_Tealwater of SkyTribe_: I needed a name, and I figured there must be some sort of historic figure Frost might use...so there's Tealwater of SkyTribe. You can guess by her name what Tribe she was originally from. Basically, she was a great leader. Think whatever else you want about her, because there aren't really any existing details.**

Ok, I took off bold, because I don't want to kill your eyes. Now, I have something to ask you guys. Tell me what you think each of the characters is like, personality-wise. Because me and my friend Spiritwind were talking about how we, the authors, have a sense of the characters, but that the readers might not. Something about us already knowing so we don't give you guys enough of an idea. I've tried to give you guys insight into the different personalities...so I want to see how I'm doing. You don't have to do all that characters...just pick one, if you want. Thanks.

And to make up for the annoyingly long A/N, the chapter is really really long too. So there.

Moonstar


	24. Moonlit Snow

**Wow. Was the last update really that long ago...? Hey, blame school. I get a **_**lot**_** of homework. More than YOU, anyway. (sticks out tongue) even if that's a bad thing.**

Super duper thanks to everyone who described a character! More on this at the end of the chapter.

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** great use of Ga'hoolian language in a warriors review XD

**Rabbitstorm:** ...thanks. ;)

**Faunamon: **(high fives) and there'll be no spelling mistaiks in this chapter! XP I actually SpellChecked it AND proofread it...

**Flametail:** it did make sense...we strange-minded people all think the same way. And you seriously took that quiz...? (runs away from flaming chainsaw)

**Adi Sagestar:** aww, your poor brain...(fills it with ideas)

**Sasharu:** (blushes) I wouldn't say _that_...but thanks a zillion anyways.

**Peachfoot: **I liked your descriptions...but I said I wouldn't elaborate on that till the end of the chapter...so hang on a second.

**TawnyLeaf:** I know, I know...it'd help if my homework would disappear. Wanna do it for me?

**BlindSeer220:** Notice that the general/narrator/unbiased/whatever-you-wanna-call it POV has never called Leaf annoying. It's only Wood and Smokepaw who feel that way. And Frost, but everyone annoys Frost, so he doesn't count. :P

**Shaded-Strike:** it does, it does. We oughta get him together with Acidpaw. Actually, I don't think that'd work so well...(watches Frost and Acidpaw murder each other)

**Moletail:** kudos to you..._very_ nice list of characters...you get a Willow plushie. XD

**Cloudfire:** (plots evilly)

**Shadow of the Nights:** its ok...thanks for the review. (runs away with a squeaky hammer)

**Chapter 24**

Leaf timidly set paw in Stoneice's den. The Ice Tribe leader was waiting patiently, sitting in the corner with his yellow eyes fixed uncomfortably on her. As soon as she was inside, she felt as if the light from the outside world had disappeared, and she was being enveloped by the murky shadows filling the den.

"Whitewater's trainee," he stated. "How...nice to see you." No part of his body moved but his mouth; he sat completely still.

Scared stiff and not knowing what to say, Leaf simply bowed her head respectfully. She could have sworn she heard Stoneice emit a low chuckle.

"Do you know why you're here, little trainee?" She shook her head numbly. "Then either you're very scared, or very stupid." He spat at the ground. "You're not worth my time," he meowed with contempt.

Leaf sat in still silence for a fearful moment, waiting for him to either send her away or kill her. She felt that strange feeling she'd experienced back in the battle, as if her life was hanging from a thread.

"Regrettably, I have a few questions for you," he meowed, and began pacing back and forth. The Water Tribe trainee became conscious of the two guards pacing likewise outside the den. She swallowed.

_Be brave,_ she told herself. _Be brave for Smokepaw...and for everyone else depending on me..._her thoughts paused as she tried to count all the cats depending on her. The eight traitors plus Willow, Wood and Frost...that made eleven. _Fox dung, there are a _lot _of cats counting on me._

"First off, what is your name?" he demanded.

"L -" she paused. It was definately _not _smart to give him her real name. What if someone happened to know that a cat named Leaf was Stream's trainee?

"L - what?" snarled Stoneice. Leaf realized that her little slip had drastically lowered her name selection. _What in Sky Tribe's name is green and begins with L?_

"L-lily," she stuttered.

Stoneice narrowed his eyes at her for a terrifying moment, then seemed to attribute her stutter to her fear. "Lily," he repeated, the L's rolling off his tongue. "I've never heard of you. You must be a new trainee."

In actuality, Leaf was one of the senior trainees, and knew she couldn't pass for a new one. But maybe she could pretend to be a bit younger. "Actually, I've been a trainee for three moon cycles," she meowed, cutting the time in half.

"I see. So how come we never knew Whitewater had a trainee?"

_Fox dung, he's suspicious!_ Leaf racked her brain for thoughts. "I, er...I had a different trainer for most of my traineeship." An idea began to form in her head; an idea that might actually work.

"So what made Whitewater decide to take you away from your former trainee?" he asked dangerously. He was _definately _suspicious.

"My last trainer was Cypress," she meowed firmly, careful not to let her voice stutter or shake. "Remember him?" Stoneice's silence gave her the answer. She resisted a grin; _Leaf 1, Stoneice 0._ "He was the one your warrior Grass killed up in the nest." She thought of Stream's broken body in the snow, and allowed her eyes to tear; after all, it would add to her story.

"He died?" Stoneice asked, caught off guard. "We heard from one of the patrols we attacked soon after that he was healing."

Leaf shook her head. She was coming up with all sorts of new ideas for her story and fake character and those of her friends, and was feeling more than a bit proud. "I think one of the wounds got infected. I don't know much about it; I'm no herb cat. You'll have to ask Frost...he is Yellowroot's trainee." She mentally slapped herself for almost saying _was _Yellowroot's trainee, but fortunately caught herself in time.

"Don't worry, I'll get to him," Stoneice meowed, regaining his composure and threatening aura. "But I'm not done with you yet. I have a few more questions."

"Of course," meowed Leaf. The beginning of her questioning had given her a major confidence boost.

"Are you loyal to Whitewater?" The confidence boost evaporated. _How am I supposed to answer that?_ _If I say yes, I sound like a normal Water Tribe cat and my story will be more realistic, but he'll want me dead. If I say no, I'll sound like a liar who's made everything up...but he might let me live_. Well, that made up her mind. "No," she responded.

"No?"

"No," she repeated. More elements of her story began to form in her head. "Me and my friends..." she paused to think of their names. She should probably give Frost's real name, since she wasn't lying about his identity, but Willow... _his eyes are pale green...what in Sky Tribe's name besides willows are pale green?_ "My friends, Frost and...Mold, none of us are loyal to Whitewater." She hoped he didn't notice her brief pauses. "We actually hate her; we think she's an _awful _leader. Mold's the youngest of us, and when he was made a fighter, we were going to run away to Ice Tribe." Realizing how much that sounded like a desperate fantasy created to save their pelts, she added, "It was more of a dream we had as young trainees; we didn't think we were ever actually going to do it..."

"But you're all here now," he pointed out flatly. "So, was Whitewater planning anything?"

"Anything like what?" Leaf asked.

"Anything involving Ice Tribe," he meowed impatiently.

"Not really...Whitewater was never very good with planning. I think she was hoping that you guys would get rid of yourselves...no offense."

He gazed at her suspiciously. He seemed unsatisfied by the information he'd generated from her, but not completely unbelieving. She guessed he was going to check for falsehoods when interviewing her companions.

"Fine, _Lily_. That will be all. Sand, Reed, escort her back to her den."

Two cats, one a light ginger she-cat and the other a young black tom, came into the den and stood threateningly at either side. "Let's go," meowed Sand forcefully, giving her a not-so-soft push towards the exit.

She could still feel Stoneice's fierce yellow eyes burning into her back as she walked away.

She tried to shake off Sand and Reed, who were guarding her uncomfortably close. Sand rolled her eyes as she almost slipped between them. "Reed, grab onto her somehow," she meowed impatiently. "If she gets away, Stoneice'll have our hides."

Leaf cringed as Reed closed his teeth around her ear. But to her surprise, he didn't bite her. "You did well," he whispered, "But you have to go back now." She remembered with a start that Reed was one of the Traitors, and suddenly felt a lot safer.

And if Reed was trusted with guarding Stoneice's den and being her escort, Dark was his right paw cat, and Adder was Duskroot's trainee...there was a lot they could accomplish.

_Talk about friends in high places, _she mused as Reed and Sand shoved her back into the prison den.

OOOOO

The moon was high in the night sky, its soft white light making the ice sparkle like the stars. The world was still; not a soul in sight or sound. A small iceberg jutted out of the ground, sticking out like a sore claw on the flat, empty landscape. To the side of the ice-block, or not necessarily to the side, since the laws of direction didn't seem to apply to the expanse around it, there was a small enclave. And within that small cave, if one looked very closely, one could see the shadow of a white mist in the air.

Frozen breath.

As light snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, a figure loped across the land towards the glacier. The crunching of snow beneath his paws seemed to echo into the night. The figure looked like he was cut in two; his dark pelt contrasted sharply with the bright white snow, but blended perfectly into the black midnight sky. He was practically flying, his large paws propelling him to long, graceful bounds, running as quickly as he could.

He was tired, ready to drop with exhaustion; he'd been running all night. This place was about half a day's - or night's - walk from Ice Tribe camp, but less if one was to run. And if someone, like the dark-pelted figure dashing towards the ice block, were to run at full speed the whole way, then it was considerably less.

For what seemed like the millionth time, the sprinter _nearly_ stopped; but no, he had to keep running. He would have liked to think he had endurance, and should be able to run the whole night if he had to. Half the night should be nothing. And besides, if he stopped, he might not be able to get back in time.

He shook off the snowflakes gathering on his pelt as he ran. His paws threatened to give way beneath him as he slowed his pace, approaching the ice block. No, he had to get back in time...and he couldn't allow the other cat to think he or any cat associated with him was weak.

He knew that the cat he sought would probably be awake once he got there; his keen hearing would have picked up the crunch of snow breaking the endless silence. And sure enough, as the dark figure slowed to a walk approaching the small cave within the ice block, a dusty brown tabby was sitting in the entrance, watching him expectantly.

The figure that had been sprinting at top speed only seconds ago had come to a complete halt. He did a magnificent job of appearing not to be tired, standing up straight and proud. His dark blue eyes met the gray eyes of tabby, and they stared at each other in a tense silence for a moment before the latter spoke.

"Dark. How...unexpected." His voice held a sense of wisdom and slyness, yet the youth underneath could not be completely hidden.

"I'd assume so," replied the dark figure calmly.

The brown tabby glared at him, not showing any signs of sleepiness, though the layer of frost at the tips of his fur suggested otherwise. "Please just get to the point. Knowing you, you have a pretty good reason for randomly showing up in the middle of the night. I don't feel like playing games, and I assume you don't have the time," he meowed coldly.

"You're right. I don't," meowed Dark. "So, as you wish, to the point. Yellowroot is dead," he meowed flatly. The tabby's dark gray eyes widened. "That's right. I'm sending some cats to kill Whitewater. The goal is to control Water Tribe."

"I'm sure you didn't come here just to bring me the news," the dusty-brown tabby growled, lowering himself into a crouch. Dark remained upright on his muscular paws.

"No. I came here to ask you a favor. Or rather, offer to do you a favor."

The dark gray eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" he meowed suspiciously.

"I need someone to lead the patrol. You know I can't; Stoneice would notice me gone. Leopard can't; she's receiving a trainee in two days."

The tabby licked a snowflake off his paw. "What's in it for me?"

"This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Your revenge on Water Tribe."

"If I help you, I want control of Water Tribe," the brown tom stated.

"No," Dark refused without missing a beat. "You may be temporary leader, however, until we take down Stoneice. Deal?"

The isolated cat allowed himself a smirk. "Deal." The smirk turned to a genuine smile. "I'm glad you came, Dark. It gets...lonely here."

"You've known since you came here that you could always go back to your Tribe," Dark reminded him.

The lonely cat sighed. "No...I can't...you know very well why..."

Dark offered a rare gesture of comfort by sweeping his tail across him. "Don't worry, we're close to victory," he meowed. "If you just help us with this, then this whole mess will be gone, and you'll be able to live free in the Tribes again."

The tabby looked up at Dark with a rare sparkle in his eyes, something the Ice Tribe fighter hadn't seen in many seasons. That slight sparkle reminded the dark-pelted fighter just how young this cat was; if he was still in the Tribes, he'd probably be nearing his fighter ceremony. He was the age of a trainee.

It was for reasons like this that Dark fought for peace; in whose mind was it right for a cat as young as the one by his side to be isolated to a small ice block in the middle of who knows where and for young cats like himself to be dying in border skirmishes every day? A flicker of doubt crossed his mind about this cat leading the patrol; he _was _very young. But no, he had the experience, the desire, and the heart, even if it was clouded by loneliness and dark grudge he held against Water Tribe.

"I'm in," the tabby meowed quietly.

"Good," meowed Dark. "We leave tomorrow at sunset from our camp. Meet us outside where no one will see you." The gray-eyed tom nodded. "And now I need to get back. If Stoneice notices me gone, then everything falls apart." And with that, Dark took off again into the night.

**Ok, now for everyone who gave cat descriptions: **thanks a zillion. Really. It really helped give me an idea of what you guys think of the characters, and how your ideas differ from mine. I'm very tempted to tell you who was most accurate, and there were some _very _accurate descriptions...but I'd rather the characters told you. After all, there were some descriptions that were a little off, in my opinion, but that's my fault, not yours. So I hope as the story continues, you get a better sense of the major characters.

--Moonstar


	25. Mucus and Mold

**Hi, sorry again...I think I oughta stop apologizing for lack of updates, because I think you get the idea...it's not like I'm **_**trying **_**to keep you in suspense...I just have no time!  
**

**Sasharu:** I know what you mean...thanks for the review. :)

**Strangefur:** I'll look through again, but I don't think so. He has gray eyes, though, so he was probably refered to as the "gray-_eyed_ tabby" or something...but there's a big chance I screwed up, so I'll look again. For reference, though, he's brown. And Dark does do a very good evil job, doesn't he? ;)

**TawnyLeaf:** I love him too (huggles) I really need to find more time for him...for everyone, actually. Working on it.

**Faunamon: **happy birthday! (sings loudly) (everyone puts paws over their ears)

**Shaded-Strike:** heh...(snickers) (Willow attacks)

**Cloudfire:** well I can't really tell you anything... so just keep reading. ;)

**BlindSeer220:** sorry if things are a bit confusing. You're thinking of Grass, whom Mud killed in chapter 6. Dark is still a bit of a mystery - he acts as Stoneice's right-paw cat; sort of like a deputy, but not really since they don't have deputies. Hopefully you'll figure him out as you keep reading :)

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** hmm, it always seemed to me like most Warriors readers also read Guardians of Ga'hoole...ask anyone, I'll bet most have. They also seem to read the other animal books I like, such as Redwall, Silverwing, and Mistmantle. If you haven't read those...go do it! They're all awesome animal fantasy books. :3

**Peachfoot:** (sigh)

**Shadow of the Nights: **I was waiting for you to say that... (grins) already got something. Just wait for it...

**Flametail: **hey, I did that on purpose!! I actually did! Seriously. I'm not THAT stupid...or am I? No, I'm telling the truth...this time, anyways... (evil grin)

**Leafstar:** I saw that on YouTube! It's really annoyingly catchy. Now it's gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

**Moletail: **everyone seems to love Willow all of a sudden. Must be pity for his codename. (snickers)

**.skia.ex.to.astron.:** 1. Don't bonk yourself, you're acting like Dobby... 2. thanks for the character thing...I'll tell everyone at the end, but for now I want to use your descriptions to make the characters clearer and help you understand them better without just telling you. 3. You're supposed to be lost. Don't worry :P And now, I've responded to all three of your reviews. Woot woot...

**dragonqueenc:** thanks XD

**Stardawn: **it's ok...it _was _optional, afterall. Cool name, by the way.

**IMPORTANT NOTE!!!** **Do I have your attention? Good. **This is actually important - maybe not to you, but to me. I've been completely wrong in my description of Earthroot in calling him schizophrenic. It's just not right, as I have found out. To give you guys a quick mini-lesson, which you can skip if you want: Schizophrenia is a mental condition where the main symptoms are hearing voices and seeing visions that don't exist. There are others too, and if you really want to know more, just type schizophrenia into the google search. However, schizophrenia does _not _mean split personality, though in my defense, it _is_ a common misconception. Bipolar generally catagorizes split personality, though not Earthroot's. In fact, I don't know what describes Earthroot now...I think he's just crazy ;) Sorry to anyone I confused or offended in my misuse of schizophrenia. From now on, Earthroot will be refered to simply as crazy or maybe "split personality". And with that, on with the story.

**Chapter 25**

"I'm fine, thanks," Leaf meowed as she picked herself up off the ground.

Wood shrugged casually from the other corner of the den, where he was grooming himself. "Did you really want us to ask? I mean really, all they did was push you inside and you fell..."

Leaf rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I have something important to tell you guys."

No one looked up. Wood continued grooming himself, Willow stayed lying on the ground as Adder had instructed, and Frost continued pretending to be asleep.

"I'm serious!" snapped Leaf. "Stoneice is going to interrogate you too, and if you don't give him the same story as me then he'll think we're lying and have us all _killed!_"

The last word got everyone's attention. Willow looked up at her, Wood stopped grooming himself, and Frost opened his eyes.

"I told you he was awake," Wood whispered to Willow, who replied with a grin. Frost glared at them.

"Won't you guys just _listen?"_ meowed Leaf, exhasperated. "I gave Stoneice a nice little story about us that I think he actually believed, though it would help if you'd all stick to it." She began to repeat word for word what she'd said to Stoneice, from the three of them and their mutual dislike for Water Tribe and Whitewater to their fantasy of running away to her previous traineeship under Cypress.

"But Cypress is still alive," Frost pointed out, defensive of his skills as an herb cat. "I found enough cobwebs to stop the bleeding and we gave him extra merigold. When we left, he was unconcious, but very much alive."

"Well Stoneice doesn't have to know that," Leaf meowed. "And don't you dare say anything about it."

Frost rolled his eyes. "You know, the most elaborate lies are always the ones that get discovered."

"Not if you all just stick to the plan," Leaf retorted irritably.

"You're such a hypocrite, Leaf," Willow teased. "You told us not to jump down each other's throats while you were gone, and _now_ who's arguing?"

"It's hard _not _into an argument with Frost," Wood remarked, beating Leaf to it.

Frost glared icily at him. "If it wasn't for me, none of you would be alive right now, so I wouldn't be talking."

"Actually, I think I'm the only one who'd be dead," mewed Willow. "I'll give you that...but you didn't save anyone else here."

"Do you think that little prophecy kit just randomly decided to help us out of the goodness of his heart?" snapped Frost. "I convinced him to tell Stoneice to keep us alive -"

"But we're all going to die anyway if you don't stick to my story," Leaf backtracked.

"You really are proud of your story, aren't you," Willow mused.

"Yes, actually," Leaf meowed proudly. She paused. "Wait, there's something I forgot to tell you."

"How are we supposed to stick to your brilliant story if you don't tell us everything?" muttered Frost.

Leaf glared at him, though her glare didn't even come close to rivaling his. "All I forgot to tell you is that I switched our names around. I mean, he might somehow remember the names Leaf and Willow and know that we aren't really who we say we are...so I changed our names. Not you though, Frost."

"C'mon, how come me and Frost don't get cool codenames?" Wood whined in mock disappointment.

"Because we're not lying about your identidies," Leaf replied matter-of-factly.

"Fine...so what are our names?" asked Willow.

"Well, umm... I had to stick to the Water Tribe tradition, obviously," Leaf meowed, suddenly becoming hesitant. "I'm Lily - remember that. And Willow is, uh...Mold."

"_Mold?!_" Willow nearly shot up off the ground, and would have had the net of cobwebs wrapped around his neck not held him down.

Leaf felt her ears warming in embarrasment. "Uh, yeah...couldn't think of anything else at the moment..."

"Why in Sky Tribe's name did you think of _Mold?_" demanded Willow. "When you think of me, is _mold_ the first thing that comes to mind?"

"No...but it's the only thing I could think of that's pale green like your eyes."

Willow rolled said pale green eyes. "I can think of _tons _of things that are pale green! Like moss, leaves, shrubs, berries, weeds, stems, flowers..."

"I get the idea," Leaf grumbled.

Wood was grinning mischiviously. "Well, if he really wants be called Flower..." everyone glared at him. "What? You think Shrub is better?" His grin widened. "What kind of mother would name her poor kit _Shrub..._"

At that, Frost rolled over and went back to "sleep". Wood could have sworn he heard him mumble something about some cats being way too easily amused for their own good. Willow flashed a glare at Leaf, but it wasn't an angry, icy glare like those Frost was famous for. Behind the glare, his pale green eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You know, if I ever have to think of a name on the spot for you, Leaf, I'll be prepared in advance." His tail swished as he pretended to be in deep thought.

"Frog?" Wood suggested.

Willow grinned. "Close. I was thinking Toad."

Wood was about to say something else, but was interrupted by a sudden sneeze. He sniffled loudly, using a paw to wipe away the green dribble coming from his nose. Frost not-so-subtly scooted away from him, muttering something about keeping his mucus to himself.

"Hey, great idea, Frost!" Wood mewed. "_Mucus!_"

"Eww," Leaf groaned. "I'm cringing at the thought."

"Or just Snot," Willow put in. "It's a lot less...sophisticated herb-cat-talk-ish."

Leaf scratched her ear with her hind paw. "What? That made absolutely no sense."

"Speaking of sophisticated herb cat talk," Frost interrupted, "You _might_ want to refrain from sneezing all over the place. The last thing we want is you getting us all sick."

Wood proceeded to sneeze loudly, spraying the area around him. Leaf jumped backwards. Frost muttered something sarcastic under his breath. Willow laughed.

None of them noticed Smokepaw coming until he stepped purposefully into the den.

OOOOO

"Who's _that?_" asked Reed, glaring at the the dusty brown tabby at Dark's side.

Reed, along with Tawny, Flake, Creek, and Raccoon had been asked to meet Dark at Stubstone, a small rounded stone jutting out ouf the ground a short ways outside camp. The gray stone, covered with a web of darker marks and cracks, was coated with a layer of ice. They couldn't see the camp from Stubstone, which meant they were out of earshot as well, though it was only a short walk away.

"He's leading your patrol," Dark meowed, his expression betraying nothing.

"What patrol?" asked Raccoon. "None of us are on patrol today -"

"Exactly," meowed Leopard, coming up behind Dark. "You're going on a...special patrol."

The eyes of the five assembled cats widened. They were all young fighters and trainees, and their youthful spirits naturally yearned for adventure.

"What is it?" Raccoon asked eagerly. Creek, his trainee, was shuffling her paws by his side.

"The six of you need to kill Whitewater," Dark meowed bluntly. The world seemed to come to a standstill, as if screeching to a halt. Their hearts stopped. The animals froze. The sounds of the wild silenced.

There was a long pause in this silence. The gray-eyed tabby eyed them all suspiciously, though they were all too engulfed in their thoughts and the sudden revelation of their mission to notice.

"You mean... m-murder the leader of Water T-tribe?" Tawny stammered, her innocent green eyes round as saucers.

"That's exactly what I mean," Dark meowed.

"Dark, I think you need to explain things to them," Leopard interjected. "Look at the poor things - they're terrified!"

"Welcome to the Snowlands," Dark murmured.

Leopard ignored his remark. "Listen, there _is _reasoning for this," she assured them. "It really _is_ in the name of peace. You _know_ that Dark would never want you to kill anyone just for the sake of killing. He has a plan, which he has neglected to tell you as of right now, though I'm sure he would have given you some details in a second." He nodded slightly. "But I think _I _should explain, so you don't terrify them to death before they even begin." The last part was addressed to Dark, who simply shrugged.

"Yellowroot, who as you know is the herb cat of Water Tribe, is dead," she meowed, as calmly as possible.

"_What_?" Reed exclaimed.

"How do you know?" Flake asked quietly.

"We know," Dark meowed in a low growl.

"Anyways," Leopard continued, before an argument could break out, "This obviously leaves Water Tribe in a state of disarray, especially since Yellowroot's trainee is here in Ice Tribe. Dark's thinking is that this would be the perfect time to talk to Water Tribe and convince them to join us, but Whitewater would never agree to talks of peace. _That's_ why we need Whitewater out of the picture. It's for the greater good."

"The greater good isn't always good," Flake pointed out. "I mean, Stoneice uses that as an excuse a lot..."

"Do you want peace or not?" Dark asked sharply. They all hesitated before nodding. "I thought so. If you want peace, you have to kill Whitewater, and do it properly. By properly, I mean don't let her escape or live under any circumstances, and make sure no Water Tribe cats see you do it. Then you can say that you were only messengers, but she attacked first. Are we clear?"

"But..." Tawny started.

"Dark, maybe you should reconsider this," Leopard meowed softly. "These young cats are too young to be charged with the task of assasination -"

"No." A cold voice interrupted her. It was the gray-eyed tabby, who'd sat silently the whole time until now.

"Who are you to interfere in our plans anyways?" Reed meowed defensively, his hackles rising.

"He's a friend," Dark meowed firmly. "And he's the leader of your patrol. You will listen to him, or he has the right to send you back. And you do _not_ want to be sent back to me." The threat sparkled in his dark blue eyes. Reed swallowed and stepped backwards, his sign of giving up the argument. The muscular tom's features showed a dark satisfaction at that. "Good."

"You'd best get going soon," Leopard meowed brightly, trying to get rid of the dark atmosphere created by Stoneice's right paw cat. "See those leaves on the ground over there?" Six pairs of eyes followed hers to the pile of herbs lying in the snow. "Adder brought them; they're supposed to keep you from getting hungry. It'll be helpful." She and Dark watched as the six of them slowly and nervously ate their herbs, with the exception of the brown tabby, who eagerly wolfed them down.

She flashed the dark-pelted tom a look that clearly read _are you sure about this?_ Dark pointedly ignored her, and she didn't bother asking further. She knew Dark well enough to know that that was his answer.

* * *

**Sorry the chapter's a bit shorter than normal; I could have put the next part on here, but I wanted to get this to you guys without even _more_ delay. ;) To make up for it, I'll give you a slight preview to next chapter: **

**The six of them set off to kill Whitewater... **

**Frost is called for interrogation**

**Smokepaw misses Wood... **

**That's all you get for now. So till next chapter,**

**Moonstar**


	26. Foxdung

**Very inquisitive reviews for this chapter. It makes me feel like you guys are actually reading, which makes me happy...so thanks :) I mean that. Anyways, onto the replies.**

**werewolfness:** I actually didn't get it from Black Cat, though I _do _know what it is, and have actually been meaning to read it...eventually...my school library has a copies of the second and third, I think. Unless I'm thinking of a different Black Cat then you...I started getting into graphic novels, and they're very addicting. XD

**dragonqueenc:** shhh!!! (clamps paw over your mouth)

**Flametail:** heh, Smokepaw is so much fun... (pokes and gets clawed)

**Shaded-Strike:** dun dun dun...

**Cloudfire:** never! I love the characters too much...and you guys, of course. ;)

**Peachfoot:** (afraid of evil laughing)

**Strangefur: **he's not being harsh, he's just being...Willow. XP Don't worry, I know what you mean...I think this chapter will make you feel better.

**Faunamon:** wow, you got an account? (gasp) and I did SpellCheck that...but SpellCheck doesn't catch _everything_, I suppose...

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** Frost is too stubborn to die. Or at least for now... (grins wickedly)

**.skia.ex.to.astron.: **don't worry, don't worry, Smokepaw is on the way... XP

**Shadow of the Nights:** I've actually got a few ideas for the little plot twist...(grins evilly)

**Mistytail:** heh, that evil quiz is so weird...I picked Canada. O.o

**Shroomy123:** wow, you're pretty observant. Thanks for noticing. :) I think you're right about all of that. Smokepaw _did _say he wasn't sure, and Stoneice may have just forgotten. On the other hand, I don't think he completely believes them as it is...so you'll have to wait and see.

**Moletail of the Squeaky-Cats:** here it is, then!

**xXNightmareGoddessXx:** thanks!! (gives plushies)

**umermfffffffffff:** noticed... (drinks a gallon of coffee)

**ggggggggggg:** thanks...you're not the same person as umermffffffffffffff, are you?

**Iceleaf: **if you go back to the beginning chapters, you'll see Faunamon already pointed that out. My reply to her was that her thinking, and yours, is absolutely brilliant...too bad I'm not that smart. ;)

**Random note:** the song Dani California was stuck in my head when I was writing this. Infinate plushies if you can find the line I included.

**Smokepaw Note**ok, ok, so I know Smokepaw hasn't been getting as much attention as you guys would like...sorry about that. I'm working on it, really. And he has a nice big scene this chapter...so be entertained. (throws popcorn up into the air and catches it in mouth) Smokepaw plushies to everyone who misses him. :)

**Chapter 26**

"You. Yellowroot's trainee." Smokepaw barely flicked his tail at Frost. "Stoneice's den. Now. Your guards are outside."

Frost obviously considered opposing him, defiantly staying seated for a moment, then thought better of it. He slowly rose to his paws, ignoring a look from Leaf that clearly read _stick to my story, or else_. He pointedly ignored her, sending a jolt of fear through her belly. He obviously had something else in mind; she could only hope he didn't get them all killed.

The herb trainee took his place in between Sand and Oak, and allowed himself to be pushed away. Leaf stared after him for a moment before realizing that Smokepaw was still there.

"Why are _you _still here?" demanded Willow, voicing Leaf's thoughts.

"Leave him alone," Wood defended automatically. Smokepaw almost allowed himself a grin. Almost. It was precisely for that reason he was still there: to see his friend.

The past few days, today in particular, had been rough for Smokepaw, and he was feeling particularly forlorn. The knowledge that his life could end at any second had finally caught up with him, something he hadn't really given extensive thought to before. He had been living his new life like it was a dream, relishing his heroic role and stance in the spotlight. Even when he felt like his pawsteps were in reality, he hadn't acknowledged the real danger.

Along with this sense of impending doom came another fear, that of never seeing his Clanmates again. He had subconsciously clung to the belief that once this whole mess was over, he'd find his way back to ShadowClan. Of course, he hadn't thought through how, exactly. His mind had assumed he was going to grow wings to fly to his Clan and magically locate them. The ShadowClan apprentice was beginning to realize that this wasn't possible, and his chances of being reunited with his Clan were next to none.

Not being reunited with his Clan meant the loss of so much more than simple Clanhood. He would never become a warrior, basking in pride as the Clan chanted his warrior name. He could almost see Oakfur's strict gaze softening, gazing at him as an equal. He could never achieve his ambition to be Clan deputy, let alone leader. He would never feel the rush of meeting ThunderClan in battle. And the faces he would never see again - his mother, Nightwing; his mentor, Oakfur; or his brother, Talonpaw. He cringed slightly as he thought of his brother, horrible pictures from his dream coming back to him... he couldn't help the dreadful feeling that his brother was dead. And if his brother was dead, it was his fault, for not being there to protect him and stand by his side... he forced these thoughts from his mind, telling himself that Talonpaw couldn't be dead, and there was no way for him to know.

There was also Russetfur, the ever-scornful deputy. So she had tried to save him...whatever. He definately didn't want _her _here with him, so he hoped she'd just go find her own cliff to fall off of. Then there was Blackstar, the evil, stubborn leader. Although the apprentice disliked him, he also held for him a grudging respect. And then there was Tawnypaw - or, Tawnypelt now. His mind wandered again to the wonderful apprentice she'd been. She had been a timid dreamer, a rebel and a runner, a cat whose mind was always open and optimistic, and who had a bit of room in her scarred heart to befriend Smokepaw. He admired her for her bravery; he couldn't imagine going through what she had, between a murderous traitor for a father, being fought over by two Clans, and being separated from her brother. At first shy, she'd opened up to him, revealing the spunky rebel within. He'd liked it when her courageous side was revealed only to him and her other close friends, but when she became a warrior, it all changed. She took on an air of importance, left her shy side behind, and Smokepaw along with it. She left for the sun-drown-place a changed cat, and returned a completely new one. He'd barely spoken to her after that; Tawnypelt wasn't his friend Tawnypaw.

And yet, he it depressed him that he would never see her again, or any of his other Clanmates. The homesickness burned deep inside him, increased by the knowledge that even _if _he found his Clan, they wouldn't be back in his old familiar home. With thoughts of his Clan running through his head, combined with those of the Tribes and his fresh sense of peril, Smokepaw's mind wasn't exactly at peace.

What he really needed was a friendly face. A break from the action, if you will. And so he had decided to spend some time with Wood. He knew his friend would appreciate it, and was somehow sure he would still have his loyalty, even after his treatment in Ice Tribe. He'd never realized how great it was to have a true friend like Wood.

"Thanks, Wood," meowed Smokepaw, acknowledging his friend's defense. "I was wondering if you wanted some fresh air...wanna go hunting?" his voice lightened more than it had in moons, loosing its heavy darkness and forced authority and taking on one of a carefree apprentice.

Wood's bright amber eyes shone like the sun on a fresh blanket of snow. He hopped to his paws. "Sure!" _Just like old times..._ _old times being just a few weeks ago_, he mused, remembering his tour of Water Tribe what seemed like ages ago.

"Be careful," meowed Willow, his eyes narrowed at Smokepaw.

"Yeah...he might be tricking you," Leaf added. She was pretty sure that wasn't the case, but she could never be sure with Smokepaw.

"Don't worry, he's not," meowed Wood, a huge grin spreading across his face. He turned to Smokepaw, who was giving him a hint of a grateful look. "C'mon, let's go!" he mewed enthusiastically, bounding towards the exit.

OOOOO

"Foxdung," Reed spat.

The black tom and his friends were surrounded...by foxdung.

"You_ can't _be serious," he complained.

"Trust me, I am," the brown tabby replied icily. "Do you want Water Tribe to scent you?"

"They'll scent foxdung better than they'll scent Ice Tribe," Flake pointed out.

"Yes, but they won't suspect foxdung of being Ice Tribe in disguise," the tabby explained irritably. "Just roll around in it and we can keep going."

Tawny was the first to take a move towards it, taking small, timid steps. She daintily reached out a paw, and immediately recoiled at the scent.

"This is _gross_," she murmured, fighting back her gag reflex.

The patrol leader sighed in exasperation. "Do you want to get scented and killed, or do you want to succeed in killing Whitewater?"

No one responded, as no one wanted to roll around in foxdung, much less murder the leader of Water Tribe.

"It's not--that--hard," the tabby meowed in annoyance, emphasizing each word in turn. He proceeded to confidently stride up to the pile of foxdung and, to the repulsion of his companions, roll around in it.

When he finally stood up, his slop covered fur was a reeking mess. "See? It's nothing."

And so, each cat grudgingly took their turn to do something they'd never consider themselves low enough to stoop down to; rolling around in fox dung.

When Flake, the last cat to do his rolling, stood up with his snow-white fur smeared in the stinking brown dung, the gray-eyed leader nodded his satisfaction.

"Good." He flicked his tail, sending a piece of dung flying. "Now all we have to do is wait for nightfall."

OOOOO

Frost entered the den to see Stoneice seated in the corner, seated in a way that exaggerated the shadows enveloping his form.

_No way. I am _not _going to be intimidated by some stupid trick of the light,_ he told himself. He lowered his head and focused his icy eyes upwards in the chilling way only he was capable of. So Stoneice wanted to intimidate him? Well, two could play at that game.

"Frost, herb cat trainee," Stoneice growled lowly, without shifting so much as a hair on his pelt. His yellow eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

"I'm _so _proud, you know my name," Frost spat. He was _not _in a good mood; interrogations in shadowy dens with ruthless leaders can do that to a cat. And when Frost wasn't in a good mood, _everyone _was subject to his biting remarks, even the leader of Ice Tribe.

Said leader's eyes flared. "Be careful, trainee. I could have you killed in a second."

Frost smirked. "But then I wouldn't be able to tell you anything." His head was still bowed, but Stoneice could see the smirk in his features and the glow in his ice blue eyes.

Frost could have sword he saw the ghost of a snicker in the shadows. "Right you are. Smart-aleck, are you?"

Frost's smirk widened. "I've heard that before."

"Please, Frost, sit down. No need for this to be...unpleasant," Stoneice growled. "Your friend Lily was very eager to talk, and as you can see, she's just fine. You'd do well to follow her example."

Frost seated himself, but never took his icy gaze off the leader of Ice Tribe. "And what if I refuse to talk?"

"You have something to hide?"

"No, I just don't feel like talking to you." Frost shrugged casually. "The dead bugs in the den are more entertaining."

Stoneice looked like he was struggling to control his temper. His neck fur bristled, and his eyes shone with withheld fury. "Things would be easier for both of us if you cooperated."

"Why should I? You're not going to kill me," Frost mewed confidently.

Stoneice took a menacing step forward. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

"What makes you so sure?" Stoneice snarled, advancing slowly.

"Because...I know about the prophecy," Frost mewed mystically.

"So do I," spat Stoneice. "And we've already gotten the Shaded Talons."

"But I know about the Falling Smoke," meowed Frost. In actuality, he had no idea what he was talking about. In fact, he was wondering how he got himself into this. It was in his nature to be sarcastic, especially when he was in a bad mood as he was now. He enjoyed toying with different cats and trying to get them riled up...it worked all the time on Willow, Wood, and other various trainees. It even worked on some fighters; it was no wonder he wasn't exactly popular among his Tribemates.

Stoneice stopped in his tracks. "You do?"

"Yeah," Frost meowed. He was getting immense satisfaction from the curious, furious, and confused look in Stoneice's eyes. _This is too much fun to stop_.

"Tell me," hissed Stoneice.

Frost pretended to consider it for a moment. His tail swished on the stone ground, brushing away the few stray snowflakes. He lifted his back paw to his muzzle and scratched in in thought. "Hmm...no."

"You _infuriating_ little _brat_," snarled Stoneice. "Maybe I _should _just have you killed."

"Haven't we been through this?" Frost taunted. "You're not going to do that."

Without warning, Stoneice unleashed an unsheathed claw at Frost, catching him behind his ear. He swiped his claw down to the trainee's shoulder blade, leaving four scarlet stripes down his neck.

Frost jumped backwards, his neck stinging. Now he was _really _in a bad mood.

"You don't want to mess with me," Stoneice growled.

"I just did," meowed Frost. His icy eyes blazed, the blood pooling on his neck glistening in the small rays of sunlight.

_Hey, Frost...now would be a _very _good time to shut up_, Earthroot snapped in his ear.

Frost gave him a mental grin. _No. This is _way _too much fun._

_You have a sick_ _sense of fun._

_So do you._

_Ooh, ouch. Hey, speaking of ouch - _

Stoneice charged at Frost, slamming him into the den wall. The trainee's head spun as he momentarily saw stars.

_Told you so._

_Shut up._ Frost blinked, fighting off a wave of dizziness. _He's not going to kill me._

_You really are confident in that, aren't you._

_Yes._

_He doesn't have to kill you to make you wish you were dead, _Earthroot pointed out bluntly.

Frost winced as Stoneice dug his claw into his throat, pinning him to the wall. "I don't have to do this, you know," the Ice Tribe leader growled, his voice low and yellow eyes alight like spots of fire in the darkness of the den. "All you have to do is answer a few simple questions."

_Fine_. Frost reluctantly gave way to Earthroot. _How do I get him off of me? _

Well, it would have been better if he wasn't on you to begin with - 

_How do I get him off of me?_ Frost repeated irritably.

_Just answer his questions! _

No! 

_Why not?_

_...I don't feel like it._

_Honestly?!_

_That...and it's fun seeing him mad._

_You little sadist. There had better be a better reason than that..._

_Alright... how about if he's mad, he doesn't think properly, and then we have an advantage on him._

_You definately didn't think this through before._

_  
I'm thinking it through now. So, if he's really mad, he's not thinking properly, right? He seems like the kind of cat who lets his anger distract him. So, maybe if I make him angry, he's less likely to notice flaws Leaf's story, the disappearance of five of his fighters, rebellion within his Tribe, the Shaded Talons helping us..._

_And more likely to kill you._

_Haven't we been through this? He's not going to kill me!_

_Right. And what's he doing now?_

_...Pinning me to a wall._

_You're really stubborn, you know that?_

_So I've been told._

_Undoubtedly. So if you _really _refuse to talk to him - for beneficial reasons, of course - then why don't you just fight back?_

Frost accepted the suggestion. He rolled to the side, momentarily freeing himself, and swiped at Stoneice's head. He felt his claw connect with the side of his face, and felt a brief sense of satisfaction.

Stoneice yowled, not so much in pain as to summon his guards. Oak and Sand came rushing in. Each swiftly fastened a side of his pelt in their teeth. The herb trainee struggled, but he was too exhausted to escape.

"Take him back to the den," Stoneice snarled, his voice dripping with anger. Oak and Sand trembled involuntarily, afraid that the slightest movement would spell their death. "I will speak to his friend tonight, and him again tomorrow. And next time, if he refuses to talk..." he paused to glare at Frost, who returned it tenfold. "If he refuses to talk, he _will _be killed."

* * *

**(Hides from Shadow of the Nights) I know, I know...I didn't say it would happen this chapter, just _eventually_...**

**Loooong chapter! Yay! Hope it sorta kinda made up for the wait... and yes, I needed to include Earthroot. I missed him. XP**

**Next chapter (I kinda like these mini-preview thingies)**

**Smokepaw's walk with Wood. Possibly more Tawnypaw thoughts, 'cause I think they're kinda cute. Yes, it can be thought of as implied light Tawny x Smoke if you squint...but you can think of it as friendship. :)**

**Willow's interrogation. (gets excited and huggles Willow plushie)**

**The patrol gets to Water Tribe...**

**And until then...go munch on a tootsie roll. They're addictive. (chews) **

Moonstar 


	27. Sickening Gaze

**Get ready...for the next chapter! Ok, that wasn't dramitic...hopefully the chapter will be ;) **

TawnyLeaf: c'mon, that wasn't short. I try to make each chapter at least 2,000 words _not _including the author's notes, and that went waaaay beyond that... 

**Stardawn:** isn't he though? (huggles Frost plushie)

**Cloudfire:** thanks for noticing that. I went back and changed it. :)

**Shaded-Strike:** well, I did just get one of those bags of endless tootsie rolls. It's sitting next to my computer. I keep subconsciously grabbing for them as I type, and when I finished writing that last chapter, there was a huge pile of wrappers all over the table...XP be afraid.

**Faunamon:** it IS a conspiracy! Cats in _this _story can grin. Deal with it. ;) And there will never, ever be a sworn/sword mistake again, ever. XD

**werewolfness:** okey dokey...

**Shroomy133:** yeah... Tawnypelt's never had a tom and as far as we know, she doesn't even have friends in ShadowClan...really, am I the only one who's noticed that Tawnypelt has no friends? It's so sad! Ok, so there's Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, Stormfur and Feathertail, but are any of them in ShadowClan? See my point? So Smokepaw _was _her friend, till she found all them...ok, you didn't ask for that explanation, but I was compelled to give it...so you can ignore it if you want. ;)

**Flametail:** Frost: go away. Moonstar: he doesn't mean that! He meant to say, "I love you and your reviews!" Frost: grrrr...

**Moletail of the Squeaky Cats: **dun dun dun...

**MagicNo333:** yeah, but Smokefoot is evil. x.x Seriously, did you see him at the end of Sunset? He was one of those evil ShadowClan cats who were laughing at Berrykit dying in the fox trap. I know Smokepaw's a jerk, but come on. He'd never just watch a kit die... (kills Smokefoot)

**Peachfoot:** isn't he? (huggles Earthroot plushie)

**Shadow of the Nights:** I must confess, I didn't actually have a good plot twist in mind...my friend Spiritwind thought of it. Or more like she gave me the basis for it. (claws Spiritwind to keep her from stealing the credit)

**Mudheart:** go girl power! (pow)

**Mystra14: **(gives Frost plushie)

**Chapter 27**

"So, Smokepaw...what's up?" asked Wood once they were out of earshot from camp.

Smokepaw shrugged. "I thought you'd want some fresh air."

Wood pretended to accept the answer. "Okay," he mewed happily, bounding ahead of Smokepaw in the snow. The black tom remained silent, his eyes downcast. Wood leapt back to him, and walked quietly by his side for a moment before inquiring, "Alright, what's wrong?"

"...Nothing." Smokepaw's eyes remained fixed on the ground. He was beginning to regret coming outside with Wood; he wasn't exactly eager to pour his heart out and confess his inner thoughts, and he knew his friend had a way of getting him to do just that.

"Nothing my tail," retorted Wood, trying to sound playful to loosen his friend's mood. "Homesick?"

_He also has a way of reading my mind_, Smokepaw reflected. "Yeah, a little bit..."

"Scared?"

"Huh?" Smokepaw was startled by the sudden, abrupt question.

"Are you scared?" Wood rephrased.

Smokepaw quickly hid all signs in his expression that Wood had hit the nail on the head. "No," he meowed stolidly.

Wood's bright amber eyes sparkled. "Yeah you are."

"Am not," Smokepaw snapped.

"Are too."

"Am not! What do I have to be scared of?"

"Everything," meowed Wood matter-of-factly. "Stoneice. The prophecy. Your friends - or helpers, if you'd prefer to call them that. That's us." The dusty-brown tom caught the twinkle in his friend's eye that suggested he'd been right on with his last remark. Smokepaw would never want to refer to anyone as a friend..._except me, maybe_, he thought with pride. He continued, "Your old family. Your old home. Your _life._"

Smokepaw didn't reply, which was answer enough for Wood.

"That's why you wanted to talk to me," meowed Wood. Smokepaw still didn't reply, his eyes returning to the ground. "Well, I can't exactly tell you that everything's going to be okay...because I don't know that. But I can tell you that we're going to try our hardest to _make _everything okay."

Smokepaw brightened slightly. Wood's simple, innocent way of putting things always seemed to cheer him up.

"I win," Wood mewed, leaping from paw to paw in celebration. "Now...wanna hunt?"

OOOOO

Willow was trying to fall asleep, blocking out the rhythmic sound of Leaf grooming herself. He finally found himself drifting off, thinking of juicy prey and his kithood days in Water Tribe...

The approaching pawsteps wouldn't have woken him, but a loud gasp from Leaf did. He chose to pretend he was still asleep, as he _really_ didn't want to open his eyes. He wondered what could've startled Leaf so much; wouldn't she have heard any Ice Tribe cats coming? Or maybe she was just that much of a moron.

"Willow, wake up. Do we have any left over cobwebs?" he heard Leaf meow desperately.

The pale-eyed trainee considered not answering, but the desperation in her tone convinced him otherwise. He groaned, pointedly letting her know that he'd have preferred it if she'd just let him sleep. "Yeah, I think Adder left some extra in the corner," he meowed tiredly.

Leaf didn't respond; she simply ran over to fetch the cobwebs. Now Willow was curious. What had Leaf so worked up? Maybe he should open his eyes...nah.

"Calm down, you're overreacting." Willow identified Frost's voice coming from the opposite side of the den. Now he was really confused.

"No, I'm not. What in Sky Tribe's name did you _do?_"

At that, Willow forced his pale green eyes open. Despite what he'd been hearing, the sight that met him was startling, to say the least.

Frost looked like he was barely standing, swaying on his paws. Blood dripped down his neck and from teeth marks on his sides.

"Yeah...what _did _you do?" Willow repeated.

"Nothing," Frost growled. "And leave me alone. I'm fine."

"Sure," murmured Willow.

"Look Frost," Leaf tried. "Even if you're fine, it wouldn't hurt to put cobwebs on it - "

"Who's the herb cat here anyways?" Frost interrupted her. "I'm _fine_." And with that, his paws betrayed him. He collapsed to the ground.

"He out cold?" asked Willow.

Leaf waved a paw in front of his face. "Yeah."

"Well at least we don't have to listen to his annoying voice anymore...what in Sky Tribe's name did he do?"

"None of your concern." Sand was standing in the doorway, with Oak close behind her. "Mud's trainee...it is your turn to answer Stoneice's questions. Come along now."

"He can't stand," meowed Leaf. "Adder told him not to - look at his neck." Willow's neck was still swathed in cobwebs from the battle, and much to his dismay, he hadn't moved much since.

"Stoneice overrides Adder," growled Oak. "Get up."

Willow glanced at Leaf. She shrugged helplessly. Well, he had had a couple days...no, a few days...or was it a dozen? He really had no idea; he'd lost track of time in the prison den. But whatever the case, he'd had plenty of time to rest, and figured he might be well enough to get up without killing himself.

The pale furred trainee tried to get to his paws, but the pile of cobwebs around his neck weighed him down. He couldn't get his head of the ground. Leaf shot a glare at Sand and Oak, standing in the entranceway snickering, and went over to his side.

"Hold still," she whispered. "Let me get the cobwebs off."

"Are you sure -"

"Do you want to live?" she interrupted.

Willow nodded feebly, having no idea what else to do. He sat as still as possible as Leaf slowly peeled off his cobwebs. He had to admit, he liked the way his neck was beginning to feel lighter, and looked forward to the prospect of being able to move freely again. Being a fidgety young cat, he'd become increasingly annoyed by not being allowed to move.

Sand and Oak looked like they were getting more and more impatient by the second. Just when Oak looked like he was ready to pounce on Leaf, she tore off the last cobweb. The last cobweb stuck to Willow's fur and was dyed brown with dried blood, and one of the wounds had scabbed over onto it. As she tore it off, Willow gave a small yelp and held a paw to his neck. It was the equivalent of having tape torn off twoleg skin.

"He's bleeding again," Leaf mewed with concern. A small drop of blood was forming around the cut.

"Barely," Oak dismissed. "It'll dry in a second. He seems well enough to walk. Come on, you've kept Stoneice waiting long enough."

Leaf helped Willow stagger to his paws, and guided him around Frost to Oak and Sand. He tried to refrain from leaning on either one of them for support, but ended up relying on Sand. The ginger she-cat barely noticed, keeping her eyes set straight ahead and mind on her task.

Once they were gone, Leaf felt oddly alone. She had been stuck with the company of her fellow trainees for Sky Tribe knows how long, and without their voices arguing, inquiring, and planning, the den was eerily silent. She belatedly remembered Frost, and decided that while he was out cold she ought to bandage him. At least it would distract her from the silence and give her something to do.

OOOOO

"Now what?" hissed Reed.

The black tom was getting fidgety. Two hours - or perhaps even longer, as he'd lost his sense of time - sitting motionlessly buried in snow didn't exactly delight him. The cold snow was seeping into his fur, and he could barely see out of it. Their mysterious leader had ordered them all to bury themselves in the snow to avoid being seen or scented. They were a bit too close to the camp for the young fighter's comfort, but many Water Tribe cats had padded right past them without sparing so much as a glance downward.

The sun was setting; that much he could tell from the way the snow no longer reflected the sun with blinding intensity. He glanced sideways at Tawny, who he could see best through the melting flakes. She looked equally fidgety and uncomfortable, but he knew the timid she-cat would never say so. To his other side was Raccoon. He couldn't see him well enough to tell what he was feeling, but he knew his fellow young fighter well enough to guess that he was probably in the same state.

"Quiet." Their leader's terse reply came from an unknown location in the snow.

Instinctively Reed looked around for the source of the voice, wondering exactly where the leader had hidden himself, but all he saw when he twisted his neck around was the faint outline that was Flake. If it hadn't been for the brown dung smeared across his pelt, he would have blended invisibly into the white snow.

"Alright...it's about time we made our move," the brown tabby mewed quietly. The five other members of the patrol perked their ears, trying to hear the low, soft-spoken instructions.

"It's going to be sticky. We have to make them think that Whitewater's death wasn't our fault." He could make out Creek's shape far to his right. The calico trainee looked like she had a question, but he kept on speaking. He had a feeling he would answer it soon anyhow. "We can't say that one of our own did it and pretend the rest of us had no idea, because they'd still be suspicious of us." He saw Creek relax, as if her question had been answered. "Nice try, trainee. No, the best option is the kill her, get her body out of camp, and say we fought out here."

"How are we supposed to do that without being noticed?" Reed demanded.

"It's getting dark. Cats are going to sleep. The sunset patrol had returned. As long as we're quiet and none of you fishbrains screw up, we should be alright," the leader meowed impassively.

"Why you - "

"Stop it, Reed," whispered Tawny. "There's no sense in fighting..."

"Says Dark's trainee," he mumbled in reply, but didn't pursue it any further.

"Right...let's go." The gray-eyed tom flicked his tail, and they were off.

OOOOO

Wood did more than just catch the mouse. He trapped it between his paws and killed it all in one graceful roll, somersaulted several foxlengths forward, then jumped upright. He threw the mouse up into the air, spun in a circle, and swiftly caught it.

Smokepaw clicked his tongue in applause. "Nice. Though aren't we not supposed to play with food?"

Wood grinned wider than he'd grinned in what seemed like endless moons. "I'm not playing. I'm cheering you up. That counts for something, doesn't it?"

Smokepaw quickly plastered a frown on his face. "That didn't cheer me up," he meowed emotionlessly.

"Sure it did!" mewed Wood, his bright amber eyes alight with triumph. The fur on his head was ruffled and one of his ears was sticking up, giving him the appearance of an innocent kit who'd been playfighting. Smokepaw couldn't help the amused spark in his eyes. Wood noticed it immediately and whooped in victory, almost dropping the mouse.

He carried it over to Smokepaw and set it at his friend's paws. "Hungry?"

"Nah. Your catch."

"You need to eat," Wood stated. "When's the last time you ate?"

Smokepaw was about to say that he'd eaten at dawn, but suddenly realized he was thinking of yesterday. Things had been so busy, so stressful, so demanding...there simply hadn't been time for food. His stomach gave a telltale rumble, as if to sarcastically mumble _thanks for noticing._

"Knew it," mewed Wood, though not with the satisfaction of being correct. "I'm worried about you, Smokepaw. You need to take care of yourself."

The ShadowClan apprentice turned away. "I'm fine."

"That's what you said back when I first found you, and you weren't exactly fine then, if I recall," Wood mewed pointedly, fixing his friend with the sort of glare a mother uses on a naughty kit.

"I can take care of myself," growled Smokepaw. "You don't have to look after me."

"And yet you felt the need to look after me," Wood persisted. "Either that, or you weren't just concerned that I needed fresh air, flattering as that would be." He paused. "You're confused. You're scared. You don't know what to do."

"Stop it," hissed Smokepaw. Mouse dung, he was hitting everything on the spot, and it hurt him more than he'd thought it would.

"Give up the stoic I-don't-care-about-anyone-else act," Wood murmured softly. "You need help. You need friends. Trust me...trust _us._ Let us help you."

"How?" demanded Smokepaw, blinking back tears. He was still turned away, and refused to look back.

"Let us talk to you. Let us be your friends. Stop pretending like you don't need any!"

"I _don't!_" cried Smokepaw.

"Yes you _do!_ What would you do if I wasn't here for you?"

Smokepaw paused. "I...I don't know."

Wood sighed. "Haven't you... haven't you ever had a friend before? Someone you could count on, who was always there for you?"

Pictures of Rowanpaw and Cedarpaw ran through his head. They had been the senior apprentices when he had first been apprenticed, and had at least been helpful to him when he was young...but no, they had each betrayed him. That was how he had first discovered that friends weren't worth having; they would always betray him in the end. It wasn't worth the pain. He tried to shove the images out of his head...

_"I killed it," claimed Cedarpaw. "I killed that badger all on my own!"_

_"What are you talking about?" demanded Smokepaw. "I helped! You couldn't have done it without me!" _

Cedarpaw laughed. "You're so cute, Smokepaw, so eager to gain admiration from your mentor." Oakfur chuckled. Smokepaw seethed. 

_"Cedarpaw," Blackstar interrupted, sounding dark as always, "I believe it is time for you to receive your warrior name..."_

Cedarheart had never been his friend anyhow, he told himself. Just another apprentice who happened to be in the same Clan.

_"Hey, Smokepaw," meowed Rowanpaw smugly. "I heard Tawnypaw likes me." _

"Who says?" demanded Smokepaw. 

_"She told Cedarheart. When we're both warriors, we're going to mate and have kits, I know it." _

"No! Tawnypaw said...she told me..." 

_Rowanpaw laughed. "She lied, then. You're so stupid, little Smokepaw! Tawnypaw is _mine!_"_

"I guess not," Wood remarked, seeing the pained expression on his friend's face.

And then there was Tawnypaw. _Tawnypaw..._

_The Clan cheered for her as she received her warrior name. "Tawnypelt! Tawnypelt!"_

_Smokepaw stepped up, eager to be the first one to touch noses with his best friend. But she turned away, instead touching noses with Russetfur._

_"Tawnypelt?" he questioned, confused._

_She gave him a smile he couldn't identify as sad or overjoyed. "Sorry, Smokepaw, I'm a warrior now."_

_"Why does that mean anything?" he asked. Tawnypelt sighed. So innocent, so naive..._

_"Don't you see? I have all my new responsibilities...and you won't be a warrior for another couple moons. I won't have time to hang around with _apprentices_." She said the word as if it were foul tasting prey._

_"But Tawnypelt..." _

"You're annoying anyway, Smokepaw," sneered Rowanclaw. "Come on, Tawnypelt. Let's go find you a spot to sleep in the warriors _den."_

_"He put you up to this, didn't he!" Smokepaw cried. "You don't have to listen to him -"_

_  
But Tawnypelt was gone. Away from him physically, away in spirit. He would never see his friend again..._

"You're not like them, are you?" Smokepaw asked quietly.

Wood was startled. Smokepaw suddenly looked so vulnerable, so broken. "Like who?" he asked softly.

"Like... them." Wood held his confused gaze, and it took Smokepaw a minute to realize he needed more clarification. "I've had friends before, and they've all betrayed me. They were probably never my friends anyway." He paused, and finally lifted his yellow eyes to Wood. "You're not like them, are you?"

"Of course not!" Wood replied automatically. "I'm loyal to what I believe and those I care for - _always_!"

Smokepaw looked a bit brightened. "Good. I guess I'm there for you too, then."

"And you'll let the others help you?"

"Maybe." His features seemed to return to normal. "Forget that ever happened, okay?"

"What?"

"You know...that."

Wood stopped to think about it before nodding. "Okay." He pushed the mouse at Smokepaw. "I'm getting hungry, and if you don't eat it, I will, plus your ears if you're not careful."

Smokepaw's eyes sparkled weakly, but Wood could tell he was back to normal. "And If I do eat it, that means you'll be even hungrier. You might eat all of me."

Wood shrugged. "I might. You'll have to eat me first." With that he dove at the mouse, trying to devour it before Smokepaw latched onto him. The bright-eyed trainee was going to savor every second of this; he knew it would be awhile before he saw Smokepaw so loose and free again.

OOOOO

After leaning on Sand most of the way to Stoneice's den, Willow seemed to remember how to walk again. He stubbornly righted himself and tried to stand on his own paws. He absolutely detested the idea of relying on two of Stoneice's cronies simply to walk. Sand hadn't seemed to mind, as long as she got him to where he needed to be, but the smirks Oak kept sending his way motivated him.

After what seemed like an eternity but was really just several foxlengths, the trio arrived at Stoneice's den. The guards unceremoniously shoved Willow in. The force nearly sent the green-eyed trainee tumbling, but he gathered his paws just in time. He expected to look up to see Stoneice glaring at him from the shadows, but instead saw two cats.

_Is that Dark?_ he wondered, but upon closer inspection, the cat sitting with Stoneice had tangled brown fur, not black like Dark. Before he could look close enough to identify the cat, Stoneice spotted him. The yellow eyes filled with fury, and Willow couldn't help but feel like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, and Stoneice was about to throw him off.

"I said _tonight!_" he shouted, his words not directed at Willow. Sand and Oak's faces appeared in the entranceway, two pairs of green eyes filling with fear. "Tonight does not mean when it's light out!" the leader roared, looking like he was going to claw their eyes out the very second. "How _stupid_ are you?"

"We - we thought you said you w-wanted to see him im-immediately," Oak stammered. The tom who had been speaking with Stoneice watched silently and expectantly.

"Well I don't!" Stoneice growled. "I'm busy. Take him back to the prison den. _Now_." The last word was emphasized with invisible venom, his eyes clearly reading _or else_. The two terrified guards ran up to Willow and hastily wedged him between them, wasting to time in securing him and moving as quickly as possible out of the den.

As they passed through the entranceway, Willow's curiosity forced him to turn around. He found himself looking into the yellow eyes of Stoneice's companion. Their gazes met, and the muddy brown tom gave him a sickeningly familiar smirk.

A split second later, the spell was broken as Willow found himself being wrenched away by Oak and Sand. But that wicked smirk remained crystal clear in his mind.

_No! It can't be..._

* * *

**Ack! Who is it? You really should know...but if you don't, that's alright. You'll find out soon enough.**

**Also, I saw that in _Dark River_, Tawnypelt has kits! The question is...who's the father? Hmm. Unurelated, yet I'm curious... and happy new years, everyone! (throws streamers)**

**Till 2008,**

**Moonstar**


	28. Choking Shadow

**Thanks to the many people who told me Rowanclaw was the father of Tawnypelt's kits. Or so the Clans think. Watch it be some random cross-clan pairing...(dreams)**

**Iceleaf:** Flamekit, Dawnkit, and...Tigerkit! Ahh! Wow, she's kinda stupid for naming her son after the evil dad she hated, but...hey, whatever floats her boat. ;)

**Stardawn:** dun dun dun...

**Flametail: **Smokepaw (glaring at you): meh. Leave me alone. Leaf: he doesn't mean that! He's really nice on the inside! Smokepaw: (more glare)

**Cloudfire:** nice try. :)

**Shaded-Strike:** aww...now go update, or I'll make ice-cubes out of you...

**dragonqueenc: **(cough) shhhh...

**MagicNo33:** how do we know that she was being OOC:) Maybe she acts one way around the cool people - Brambleclaw, the prophecy bunch, etc... but we never knew what she acted like as an apprentice. Remember when she was all shy? (huggles Tawnypaw)

**Moletail of the Squeaky Cats: **(grins and runs away)

**FIJNLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLZ:** ...thanks...

**TawnyLeaf: **well, he doesn't _think _he's being immature...at least, I hope not. :P

**Flamespirit-eth:** thanks...except wasn't Rowanclaw a girl for a couple books? And then he was a boy again...the Erins are kinda mixed up.

**Gaze of Sea:** yay...

**Tainted Lullaby:** but is it really? dun dun dun...

**tim4106:** I try, I really do...but with school, sports, and..._exams_ (runs in fear) it's kinda tough...

**Faunamon:** accidentally hits nail on the head

**Warning: gore/angst/freaky/graphic scene...don't like it, don't read it. I'll have warnings for when it starts and stops, so you can just skip it if you don't want to read it.**

**Chapter 28**

After Smokepaw ate his mouse, everything seemed like a blur. One moment he was walking happily back to camp with Wood, completely oblivious to the snow that would have chilled him to the bone just last moon. The next, he was being rushed away to Stoneice's den by a messenger he didn't recognize, and Wood was being dragged away by Oak and Sand. He barely had time to ask what was going on, and all the messenger would tell him was that Stoneice needed to see him, and it was urgent.

The smoky tom couldn't help the sinking feeling that one of his...helpers...had screwed up, and Stoneice knew about their plot, and now he was going to execute them all. He should never have helped them! Oakfur was right; confiding in other cats just leads to downfall. He should have known, he should have listened, he shouldn't have let Wood convince him to be a "good guy" so easily...

"Talon."

Smokepaw hadn't even realized that he'd reached the den, and was now standing in the entranceway. The messenger had disappeared, as if evaporating into thin air. Stoneice's ice were fixed on him in a hard gaze, and there was another cat sitting next to him shrouded in shadows. The ShadowClan apprentice could just make out tangled brown fur and a pair of sickening yellow eyes.

He'd know that look anywhere. _Fox dung._

"Dear Talon." Stoneice's chilled voice shook Smokepaw out of his daze. "I believe you and Mud are well acquianted?"

Smokepaw's yellow eyes narrowed. "Very," he snarled.

"I sense hostility," Stoneice remarked, his tail swishing expectantly. Mud remained still as stone, his eyes slowly narrowing as well. "You must forget your hostility if you are to work together."

Smokepaw fought the urge to lash out and attack them both. That cat had chased him and his friend out of camp with insane pleasure and recklessness the apprentice wasn't going to forget any time soon, not to mention the bright images of Grass's murder fresh in his mind. And the prospect of _working with him_ - what in StarClan's name was there to work with him on anyway? - sickened him.

"I'm _not _going to -"

"Now Talon, you don't have any hard feelings, do you?" Mud's voice was low and cold, just as he remembered. It sliced through the air like a sharpened claw, as if mere sound leaving his mouth could cut the air.

"Go back to your own tribe," Smokepaw spat venomously. "Don't you have a mate and newborn _kits _to take care of?"

The yellow-eyed apprentice couldn't surpress a smug smirk of satisfaction as Mud's impassive appearance wavered. "The kits are fine," he hissed. "You, on the other hand, won't be when I get my claws on you -"

"What did we say about hostilities?" Stoneice interrupted, his voice bordering on mocking. "You two need to work together on our newest development." He exchanged a glance with Mud. "Shall we fill Talon in?"

Mud didn't reply, instead opting to curse inaudibly at his feet. "Well then, I guess that's a yes." The leader of Ice Tribe turned to Smokepaw. "You see, Talon, Mud brings news of an attempted attack on Water Tribe. An attack by Ice Tribe _rebels_."

"They smelled like dung," Mud spat disdainfully. "I suppose it was to hide their scent, but I caught it. I can smell those -" he sounded like he was about to curse Ice Tribe, but quickly refrained for Stoneice's sake. "- Those Ice Tribe cat's anywhere. They were waiting outside camp."

Smokepaw's breath hitched. If Dark's plan had gone awry... they were in deep fox dung. And they wouldn't live much longer to smell it.

"Did you stop them?" the ShadowClan apprentice asked, trying to sound as uninterested as possible. His acting seemed to be alright, as neither Mud nor Stoneice appeared to notice.

"No, he came straight here," Stoneice answered. "We don't know if that group succeeded, which is why we need _you_."

"Me?" the second the question left his lips, he cursed himself for it. He sounded so surprised, and he'd shown them that he'd let down his guard. Oakfur would have smacked him.

"Yes you, Talon," Stoneice mewed coldly. "This group of cats are obviously rebels from our Tribe. We don't know who exactly it is, but we'll be conducting a search to see who's missing." He paused. "According to Mud here, both of their herb cats are thought to be missing. We know that the trainee is prisoner here, but the other... no one knows where she is, and no body has been found."

Smokepaw fought the urge to snicker. Yellowroot had gotten what she had coming, in his opinion. But they couldn't know that.

"The rebels are probably trying to take over Water Tribe in it's weakened state," Mud explained. "My guess is that they're going to attempt to kill Whitewater."

Smokepaw almost gaped at him. Almost, but he surpressed it. He knew that there was going to be an assasination attempt on his leader, and he didn't try to stop it? What kind of loyalty was that?

"I see you're confused, dear Talon," Stoneice purred. "Allow me to explain. Mud here has a very...reasonable mind. We have reached an agreement." His eyes sparkled with what seemed to be malice or glee; or both. "Since Mud has been so helpful in rooting out those _dispicable _traitors and informing me to their actions, and he has agreed to help us destroy them and take over Water Tribe, he will be granted leadership of Water Tribe when it is ours."

All these new thoughts and conspiracies whirled through Smokepaw's mind. He tried to process it all and remember it, so he could relay it to Dark...but what if Stoneice suspected Dark? No, he couldn't. He must think that the rebels were acting on their own. But what if he didn't? What would they do if Dark was killed? They'd have no leader, the rebellion would crumble, and Mud and Stoneice would rule the Snowlands...which might happen anyway.

_Fox dung... this is _bad.

"Mud and Talon, you should leave as soon as possible. As in before the sun sets. Persuade Water Tribe that Talon is good for them, Mud, and then the two of you can get those traitors killed by Water Tribe. I'll send a team of fighters tomorrow morning to take over. You two go ahead and get the traitors out of the way, and make sure Water Tribe thinks Talon is on their side. It may end up being helpful." His eyes were alight in mad fire. "Go on now. Get travel herbs from Duskroot so you won't have to stop to eat...and get going."

◘ ◘ ◘

"Are...are you sure?" Leaf stammered.

"Postive," mewed Willow. He was still shaking inside from those bright yellow eyes. "I'd know that wicked glare anywhere."

"You're a poet and you didn't even know it," Frost mused.

"Don't you know when to shut up?" snapped Leaf. "This is serious!"

Frost rolled his eyes. "Whatever. By the way, did I mention that you did an awful job with the cobwebs?"

"Only ten million times!" Leaf fumed. "Can't you just _shut up?_"

"Wow, someone's in a bad mood," Wood whispered to Willow. Leaf swung her glare around at them.

"Gives you the chills when she glares at you like that, doesn't it?" Willow whispered back.

"Don't you guys realize that this could mean we're all going to die?" Leaf meowed in exhasperation.

Willow lowered his eyes. "Well, yeah," mewed Wood. "But what's the point in getting all depressed about it? Might as well be happy while you can."

Leaf sat herself down with a frustrated sigh. _Toms._ They were so _stupid._ "You guys are _impossible_. Don't you want to _do _something?"

"And what do you suggest we do?" Frost cut in. "In case you haven't noticed, we're trapped in a prison den. Unless you've unlocked the secret to teleportation."

"Maybe she'll get lost in a wormhole," Willow suggested hopefully.

"This is _serious!"_ Leaf yelled. "Don't you get it? This is _life and death!_"

"But we're all going to die in the end anyways." Frost would have shrugged casually, had he not been lying on the ground and afraid to move his injured shoulder.

"Way to be a cynicist," Willow remarked.

"I've been told I'm also a sadist," Frost added with satisfaction.

"Have you been told you're really annoying?" Leaf snapped.

"Yeah, plenty of times," the ice-eyed trainee countered.

"Hey, me too!" meowed Wood enthusiastically. "Woah, me and Frost have something in common!"

Leaf would have shouted that this discussion was pointless and going nowhere and point out that they ought to focus on saving their lives - again - but Smokepaw saved her the trouble.

The smoky tom entered at that moment with a distressed look in his eyes. Smokepaw looking off guard was enough to get everyone's attention, though he spoke without hesitation.

"Mud ratted us out," he announced hurriedly. "He didn't attempt to save Whitewater though, so we can hope that the assasination worked -"

"Wait," interrupted Willow. "He knew that they were going to kill Whitewater and didn't try to save her?"

"Some cats are messed up," Frost remarked. "Get used to it. I assume he wants control of the Tribe?"

"Yeah. Me and him are supposed to go to Water Tribe and get the patrol killed -"

"Tawny!" Wood breathed.

Leaf glanced at him sideways with a raised eyebrow. "_Anyways_," she prompted Smokepaw.

"Obviously I don't plan on killing them," Smokepaw meowed flatly. "But Mud and Stoneice are still talking, and eventually he's going to figure out that Willow isn't Mold and isn't Mud's trainee, and then he's not going to believe anything else we've told him, true or false. And then he'll have _all _of us killed."

"Told you," Leaf growled.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Wood asked calmly. "I don't think making a run for it would work."

"You might have to," meowed Smokepaw grimly. "I'll try to get out of camp with Mud as soon as possible...but after we're gone, Stoneice will probably work things out. And _then _you run."

"Where?" asked Willow fearfully. "We've got nowhere to run to."

"Water Tribe," Smokepaw pointed out. "Unlike me and Wood, you weren't run out. You were captured. They would take you back, even if we've failed."

The prisoners glanced at each other uneasily, except for Frost, who kept his icy gaze solid. "Just thought you might want to know," Smokepaw concluded. He turned to leave.

"Hey, Smokepaw," Leaf called after him. The ShadowClan apprentice stopped to acknowledge her, but didn't turn. "Thanks for telling us."

"You're welcome," he meowed grudgingly, and padded away.

There was a moment of silence before Wood spoke. "You know...I think I'm making progress with him."

○ ○ ○

"Come on, Tawny!" hissed Reed. The tawny-furred trainee sprinted to catch up with Reed and Raccoon, with Flake and Creek trailing behind.

Night had fallen over Water Tribe camp. Not a single star was visible in the night sky, though snow fell heavily from the dark clouds. The camp itself seemed wrapped in a shadow, and Tawny couldn't help but feel like the shadow was a monster that could clamp its jaws down on her and her companions at any second.

"Here's Whitewater's den," their leader spat with unexpected resentment as they approached the dark, forboding tree. Tawny felt as if the tree was alive, glowering at them as if to say _leave...or else_. She was snapped out of her reverie as their leader fixed them all with a deadly glare. "Kill her as silently as possible, and then we'll take her body outside camp. Are we clear?"

"But what if - " Creek began, but the dark gray eyes turned on her, burning into her pelt. She turned away quickly. "Never mind," she mewed hurriedly.

"You two, trainees," he growled at Tawny and Creek. "When we drag her body away, you have to cover up our tracks in the snow behind us. Got it?"

The two trainees nodded numbly, too scared at this point to oppose the patrol's leader. The snow was starting to fall heavier, so sweeping up the tracks might not be much of a problem anyhow. Besides, the second they had set foot into Water Tribe camp, his cold demeanor had become deadly, as if he was cursed within the camp's boundaries. Tawny had subconsciously wondered how he'd found Whitewater's den so quickly, considering none of them had ever been to Water Tribe before, but her growing anxiety and fear dissolved the meaningless inquiry.

The Leader of Water Tribe was peacefully asleep in the darkness of the corner, her flank rising and falling slowly. Tawny wanted to cry at her ignorance and bliss, wondering how a cat could sleep so soundly when death was hovering over her like a choking shadow.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't _kill _a cat in cold blood, no matter how beneficial it would be in the long run. She stepped backwards. "I...I can't do this..." she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Then shut up," hissed their leader, completely impassive to his comrades' anxiety. Tawny stood rooted to the ground, frozen with fear and guilt, as the rest of the patrol formed a circle around Whitewater's sleeping form. She could see Flake resisting the urge to shrink back, and watched painfully as he winced in disdain, wishing she had his willpower. She knew that none of them wanted to do this, except for their leader. His eyes were starting to glow with an eerie, _frightening_ light, as if he had been waiting all his life for this.

The den was dark and dank. She could barely tell the cats apart, and she felt like the darkness was strangling her, intertwining with the freezing cold air and the mind-numbing suspense to stop her heart. She felt frozen in time, unbreathing, unmoving, not even blinking. The five cats standing around Whitewater also seemed to freeze, and then their mysterious leader shattered the ice.

**Warning:**** slight gore and a lot of angst here...if you don't like it, skip to the end of the chapter. And don't say you weren't warned.**

"Now!" he leapt on the snow-furred leader, sinking his claws into her throat. Her blank white eyes snapped open. She opened her mouth to cry out for help, but Reed was on her muzzle before she could make a sound. She tried to kick the dusty-brown tabby off with her hind paws, but Raccoon and Creek grabbed on and restrained them. Flake held down one of her front paws, the other helplessly stuck beneath her body.

Tawny couldn't help but see the fear running through the leader's eyes, the terror, the knowledge of her oncoming death, and the helplessness of being able to do nothing about it. Tears sprang to her bright green eyes and she looked away, unable to watch.

"Please, go faster," she heard Flake plead. For a moment she was infuriated with the white tom, wondering how he could be so heartless, but she turned to see the gray-eyed tabby ever so slowly sinking his claws and teeth into her throat. Painfully slow. Whitewater whimpered weakly, but the patrol leader ignored her plea like it was simply a sound on the wind.

"Please, just kill her," Flake begged. Creek's grip was loosening, her light brown eyes welling with tears. Tawny looked away again, still unable to watch. Her heart felt like a rock, weighing down in her chest. She was glad she looked away, for a moment later their patrol leader spoke with such venom, she was sure the look in his eyes may have killed her.

"No," he snarled with more contempt than even Stoneice. "She deserves this."

Raccoon was also crying now, allowing Creek to empty her tears into his shoulder. "Who _are _you?" he demanded in a choked whisper, staring at the gray-eyed tabby like he was some sort of monster.

"Your leader," he snapped, glaring at them all, sinking his claws in slower than ever. "And you'll _do as I say_."

"No I won't!"

Without warning, Flake knocked into him, pushing him off Whitewater's throat. He skidded into the wall, temporarily winded, and could only watch as Flake bit hard into Whitewater's already bleeding neck. Within seconds, the frantic rise and fall of her flank stopped.

Flake lifted his reddened muzzle, his amber eyes glazed in horror. Their leader was glaring at him with enough intensity to kill.

"What did you do?" he spat, advancing on Flake.

"He did the right thing!" Reed interrupted angrily. "I don't know what kind of monster you are, but at least Flake gave her the quick death she deserved!"

Reed's dark brown eyes met the stormy gray eyes of their leader. Both were panting, and Reed was shaking. With anger, fear, or shock, Tawny couldn't tell. She herself was in shock; she couldn't believe what had happened, or what was happening. Her heart hammered in her chest like an angered beehive, her head reeling with exhausion and trauma.

"I'll discipline you later," the monster of a cat snarled at Reed and Flake. "For now, let's just go along with the plan." He grabbed onto an unbloodied part of her pelt, and with the reluctant help of Creek and Raccoon, dragged her body out of the den.

Flake rubbed his muzzle in the snow, desperately trying to wash off the blood. Tawny touched her flank to his sympathetically, then followed the others outside.

It was Reed, rather than Creek, who helped Tawny sweep up their tracks. The two numbly swept their tails across the snow, willing themselves not to think, because if they were to think anything it would be about the terrible scene they had just witnessed.

Tawny really truly hoped that Whitewater's death would be good for the Snowlands in the long run, because if it wasn't, she'd find herself feeling guilty forever for her part in the Water Tribe leader's murder. She'd probably feel guilty anyway...but success might take away from her guilt.

They were about to follow and meet up with their counterparts outside camp when they heard footsteps behind them. Tawny froze. She didn't dare turn around. But Reed did, and found himself face to face with another cat.

"Fox dung," he murmured. Tawny turned slowly, and saw the black tom standing before them in the snow. His amber eyes sparkled with fear and curiousity, all mixed into one look of confusion.

"Who...who are you?" he stammered, staring at them as if they were the last things he'd ever see.

"Calm down, it's okay," Tawny started. "We're...here in peace..."

The amber eyes narrowed. "Ice Tribe," he growled. "You smell like Ice Tribe."

Tawny didn't know what she or Reed would have done next, but she knew it wouldn't have been pretty. None the less, what happened was much worse than anything their own actions could have caused.

Their leader came out of nowhere, lauching himself at the amber-eyed fighter and landing on his back. The brown tabby had his claws at his throat before he even knew what hit him. He felt into the snow, choking for breath...and then stopped.

"Come on, we've got to get him out of camp before he bleeds into the snow," he mewed emotionlessly. Reed and Tawny gawked at him, and suddenly Tawny could no longer surpress the tears and anger inside her.

"Just who do you think you are?" she demanded. "You can't go around just...killing cats whenever you want to!" she choked out a sob, unable to believe what she was witnessing. Who _was _this cat...

"If I hadn't killed him he would have alerted the rest of Water Tribe, and then we'd _all _be dead!" the gray-eyed tabby yowled. "Now stop tearing up like a kit and finish your job!"

She didn't know how long she stood and cried there, shaking, but she was jostled back into reality by Reed's nudge. She hadn't realized that her eyes had been closed; she opened them to see that their viscious leader and the body of his victim were gone.

"Come on, Tawny," Reed mewed, with gentleness she hadn't known the normally fiery-tempered tom possessed. The heavy snow had already pretty much cleared their tracks, but he decided to proceed with the task anyway. "We...we need to...we need to finish sweeping up the tracks."

* * *

**Long chapter. ☻ I felt the need to go into descripty-mode for the death scene...sorry if that bothers you. I also dicovered the power of the Alt button, hence the new segment dividers. :P and also the black smiley face. I can do normal ones too ☺ pretty sweet. :)**

**Anyways, till next time,**

**Moonstar**


	29. Identity

I'm alive. Believe me, I'm really, really really really really sorry about the long wait...I can't believe it's been a month. I've worked on this chapter sparatically over the last four weeks, never completely forgetting it. I hit a little roadblock in this chatper (not writers block...I had the scene, I just was thinking about how to write it) and then I procrasinated. And with softball tryouts this Saturday (eek) it takes up a lot of time...plus an evil chemistry teacher who thinks torture of students is amusing, and a few new books I've got (Airman by Eoin Colfer is amazing)...it all adds up to lack of updates. Terribly sorry, but at last, here's chapter 29.

**Moletail Of The Squeaky-Cats:** cool indeed. :P

**Stonetail's Loyalty: **shhhh!!! XD

**Shaded-Strike: **yeah, me too. I kinda hated her before, but now I feel sad...oh well. And yay, you updated! (pats you on the back)

**TawnyLeaf:** I suppose things don't always go as planned. I'll stop now, since I don't want to sound all intelligent and deep. ;)

**MagicNo333:** using the Alt key! Hold alt, and use the numbers _on the side _of your keyboard. It's so fun to play with... ♫ Also, I didn't find the scene that bad either, but...I guess it's the most violent thing I've ever written (so far...XP) so I thought it might disturb some people...guess not. ;)

**Flamespirit-eth:** I do feel bad for poor Rowanclaw and his/her gender issues. Though I like him/her better as a him.

**Shadow of the Nights:** easy for who? Ok, so no one stopped them... but I'm pretty sure they didn't think it was easy. :P Dunno, ask them.

**Stardawn:** that's always something I like. I hate how good-guys and bad-guys are so defined; particularly if you've read Redwall, how the bad guys are always a particular species, or even in Warriors, how the bad guys are always from ShadowClan. It _should_ be hard to differenciate - so, yes, that is what I was aiming for. :)

**Flametail: **he's not quite ready to die...he's got some exciting stuff do to first. (dun dun dun?)

**Rawr:** um, roar? Cool name. XP

**Feathersong: **thanks for reading, then!

**Tim:** I believe I've been through this...I try, I try, I really really do try. And I know you get this from everyone, but it's true: homework and school take over lives. And softball five days a week complicates things. I really am trying, though. :) (gives you a plushie to tide you over)

**Mudheart:** sorry, can't answer that... ;)

**Chapter 29**

The guards came for them around moonhigh. Willow had volunteered for watch, and the second he heard the approaching pawsteps, his drooping eyes snapped open.

"Leaf! Frost! Wood!" he shouted their names in a panicked whisper. "They're coming!"

Frost, who Willow had suspected wasn't actually sleeping, blinked his eyes open. "Really? I thought they weren't going to come."

The pale furred trainee couldn't tell whether the herb cat was being sarcastic or not, but it wasn't the time to ponder. He ran over to Wood and nudged him roughly, causing the sleeping tom to groan, and hurriedly jabbed Leaf in the back.

"We've got to go!" he hissed. "Come _on!"_ It took a few seconds to get everyone awake and to their paws, and not a moment too soon. Sand tiptoed through the door, and jumped backwards when she realized that her targets were awake and prepared.

"They're _awake!_" She shouted in warning to her comrades.

"That makes our job a lot harder," Wood heard someone from outside muse. He swallowed. Job? These cats had probably been ordered to kill them all...

"RUN!" yowled Willow. He bolted out the door, streaking past the surprised Sand.

"No duh," Frost muttered, and charged out after him.

At this point, Sand had gathered herself, but Wood leapt on her. Leaf took the opportunity to escape while the she-cat was pinned to the ground, only to find that she had run right into a pack of Ice Tribe fighters outside.

Wood and Frost were already meeting them, trying to claw their way through the circle enclosing around them. _Here goes nothing_, she thought, and leapt into the fray. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Wood following. She pinned a black she-cat to the ice, but told herself not to strike. _I'm not trying to kill. I'm just trying to pass_. She got up and pushed past the she-cat's winded body, bowling over a tabby in her charge before finding herself claw to claw with yet another cat.

Willow came down on said cat's head with a crash, knocking him senseless. "They really were intent on killing us, weren't they," he grumbled, placing himself back to back with his fellow trainee.

"Yeah, and looks like the whole Tribe wanted to join in the fun," Leaf added, whirled around to block a claw aimed at her neck.

"Keep moving!" she heard Wood yowl from somewhere ahead of them. Right; they had to move forward. Once they broke free of the cats, they could easily outrun them till they decided the chase wasn't worth it. How hard could it be to simply push through?

Without warning, Wood burst forward into an empty space. He lifted his eyes; there were no cats in front of him. He was through, and now was his chance. He turned to make sure his friends were following, but only caught sight of Frost as the herb trainee pushed past a burly brown tom. He saw Leopard, and ferverently wondered if she'd fight for them or not. Doing so, they both knew, would loose the she-cat her home and position in Ice Tribe, and he was pretty sure she wouldn't think it was worth it. He didn't see Dark anywhere, but he would agree with their allies if they told him that Dark's position was too valuable to loose.

Snapping out of his muses, he quickly scanned the battle for his friends. "Willow! Leaf!" he called. He saw the ginger she-cat trying to push past a final pair of opponents, and quickly leapt to her aid. He knocked one down, and Willow came at them fro them other side, barreling into the second Ice Tribe fighter. The gray tabby flew backwards and skidded into the snow, winded, but only for so long.

Hastily begging Sky Tribe to allow her friends to follow her, Leaf took the opportunity to make her escape. She dashed into the open. The snowy landscape would have blinded her with brightness in the day time, but at night it was simply a blank, black expanse. There were no stars that night; they were all hiding behind the shadowy clouds. Oddly enough, the ominous dark hole of a landscape that seemed to want to swallow her up was strangely inviting. For her it signified freedom, and just maybe, a sliver of a chance.

When she had sprinted several foxlengths, she turned to make sure Willow and Wood were coming after her, only to see them just overcoming their growing number of adversaries. One of them knocked Willow to the ground, but Wood was quickly at his side, fighting off the attacker. "Just run, Leaf!" Willow cried over the roar of angry, bloodthirsty cats, quickly picking himself up and charging after her.

Wood turned to follow, but was slammed into from the side by a large tom. He landed with a loud thud on the ground, feeling the sharp pain of the wind getting knocked out of him. His attacked loomed over him, dark eyes gleaming with malice and sick joy as he raised his claw for the deathblow.

The large paw came down hard. Wood rolled to side, and the slash intended for his throat grazed his shoulder. He gritted his teeth as he felt the new wound start to bleed. _But hey,_ he told himself, _it's better than what would've happened if he'd hit his target..._

He realized with a jolt that just because his opponent had missed, didn't mean he was gone. The muscular cat was coming at him again, looking angry and frustrated, which was definately _not _good. He tried to pick himself up, but couldn't in time, and the enemy swiftly pinned him to the ground. _Too fast for a cat his size,_ Wood mused. _And I don't have a way out of this one..._

He wondered if this was how it was meant to end. If he'd never get to see Smokepaw again, or see peace in the Snowlands, or help it come. He'd never get to see Tawny again, or his sister's kits. All because he couldn't simply push through. It somehow didn't seem right.

Suddenly the weight on top of him was lifted. A gray flash flew over him, and his would-be killer rolled into the snow. Wood wasted no time in getting up and sprinting away for his life. He had to catch up to Willow before they caught him again.

He was running a ways behind Willow, who was hot on Leaf's heals. He knew he had to keep running, no matter how much he wanted to drop. The gash on his shoulder burned and throbbed, and it took every drop of his willpower to shove it to the back of his mind. _Run...run...run..._

After what seemed like an eternity of running, Willow decided that he would have loved to just drop to the ground and let them catch him. At least his numb legs would be allowed a short break. But then he caught sight of Leaf out of the corner of his eye. The she-cat looked just as exhausted as he was, but she was still running. She glanced sideways at him, and gave her comrade a tired grin. The weary yet determined look in her eyes gave him new strength. If not for himself, he had to keep going for Leaf and his friends.

Wood lagged behind, and behind him was a crowd of pursuers. But as the refugees ran into the night, the crowd began to thin. They ran for a long, long time, longer than any of them had ever run, or even walked before. Pure adrenaline and fear kept them going. The pack of bloodthirsty pursuers slowly narrowed until the sun poked its head over the horizon, showing as just a glowing orange line. When the glowing orange line began to illuminate the night sky, spreading gentle rays of light slicing through the darkness, Wood risked a glance behind him, coming face to face with one remaining opponent.

He couldn't fight. He didn't have the strength. His shoulder flared with pain. He again felt the helpless feeling of approaching death. Had he escaped death and run his heart out half the night only to face the end again? He summoned all of his courage and strength to give his opponent a hard, defying look, which may well have been his last act of merit, and collapsed to the ground.

What the exhausted trainee didn't take into account was that the black and white patched tom he assumed to be his killer had also been running all night. By the time Leaf and Willow ran back to rescue their friend, both cats were lying passed out in the snow.

"What do we do?" Leaf panted, her legs wobbling beneath her. She and Willow couldn't drag Wood away; they didn't have it in them. But if they stayed here, the Ice Tribe fighter might wake up and kill them.

"We...we don't have to kill him, do we?" Willow asked quietly, gazing almost sadly at the black and white tom.

"N...no," she stammered in reply. "He's tired too...I think." She fell to the ground. "The others are gone...can't we just rest?"

"Fine by me," Willow answered. He was asleep before he hit the snow.

§ § §

When Tawny and Reed were finally finished with the tracks, it was almost light out, barely dark enough to conceal them from the soon to wake Water Tribe cats. They made their way out of camp, careful to cover their own fresh pawprints until they reached the group.

Raccoon was sitting up, staring blankly out into the Snowlands as if in some sort of trance. He looked hollow-eyed and tired, as did Creek, who was resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed, but the tears that had come from them still sparkled on her face. To Tawny's surprise, Flake was resting his muzzle on Whitewater's still flank, paying her a fighter's respect. Judging by his half closed eyes and ragged appearance, he had probably been sitting vigil for her, and the limp black tom at her side, all night.

It took her a moment to realize that someone was missing. Reed had noticed a split second before her, so it was him who demanded fiercely, "Where _is_ he?" None of the three cats acknowledged him. "Come _on_. Don't _any _of you know where that wildclawed foxdung is?"

Creek lifted her muzzle off of Raccoon's shoulder and opened her eyes slowly. Her trainer didn't stir. "He...left," she mewed quietly.

"_Left? _Are you _kidding _me?" Reed was absolutely livid. The fiery temper he'd mostly kept in check during the assassination was bursting free from its restraints. "You just let a crazy wildclawed murderer wander off?" He couldn't believe this. In his mind, the stupid fishbrain was wandering across the Snowlands killing random cats to satisfy his bloodlust, meanwhile leaving the patrol without a leader. Though that wasn't such a bad thing.

"He didn't just _wander_ off," Raccoon snapped, waking from his transfixed state. He blinked a few times and waved his paws to shake off the cramps that had come with sitting up still for so long.

"Where did he go then?" Reed demanded. Tawny stepped backwards, not wanting to be a part of what, to her, had potential to become an extremely heated debate.

"Back into Water Tribe camp," Creek answered quietly. "Or so he said. He went the wrong way."

Tawny's first assumption was that their mysterious leader had lied, and had some shadowy business to take care of. Visions of rogue life, wolves and bears came to mind. Was he was part of some rogue tribe, a spy from a wolf pack, or a servant of bears?

"Or maybe he was just trying to avoid me and Tawny," Reed snarled.

Tawny winced. She hadn't even thought of that, absorbed as she'd been in her fear-inspired fantasies, though it did seem much more likely.

"Why would he want to avoid you two though?" asked Creek. "It's not like he's afraid to show us what he does."

"Maybe...maybe he has a secret," Tawny suggested softly. "Maybe there's something he _doesn't _want us to know."

The four of them pondered what secret their violent leader could possibly be harboring. Being him, whatever it was had to be dark...

"Or maybe he just ran off," mewed Flake. His voice was hollow and dull, as if he didn't really mean what he was saying or as if he was barely conscious. "He's that kind of coward."

There was a moment of silence. Creek broke it with a quiet question. "Is...is there another way into Water Tribe camp?"

"Of course," meowed Reed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's not _required _that you go in the main entrance. He could easily have slipped through the trees."

Another frightening thought occurred to Tawny - what if he planned to murder all of Water Tribe before they woke? She wouldn't put it past him, and he did seem to have a grudge of some sort against their enemy Tribe. But she couldn't let that happen; there were innocent cats in there, cats who hopefully find sympathy for them and their cause and fight by their side for peace. And, she realized with a lightning-like jolt, Wood's sister's kits were in there.

"I have to go after him," she meowed suddenly. Everyone, even Flake, turned to her in surprise.

"Tawny, he'll kill you," Flake whispered, concern prominent in his warm amber eyes.

"You think I can't stand up to him?" she demanded, tears building in her eyes. Everything was overwhelming her - her own thoughts, what she'd witnessed, and the cats who could die at their gray-eyed leader's wild claws. "I'm a fighter too!"

"A fighter in training," Raccoon reminded her gently. "And even us fighters..." he waved his tail at Reed and Flake, as if willing them to continue for him, but neither spoke. "Even us fighters may not be able to defeat him."

"Why not?" Tawny cried.

"You saw the look in his eyes!" Reed yowled. "You saw his bloodlust! He kills anything in his path, and he's not exactly a pushover. He's a skilled fighter with the will to kill."

"How skilled could he be?" Tawny hissed. "How much training could he ever have had? I doubt he ever had a trainer. And how old do you think he is? He looks my age!" The cats around her were stunned into silence. "Didn't any of you ever take the time to _look_ at him?" she growled. "He looks like a _trainee!_ And you're all saying none of us can beat him!" She took a deep breath, and let it out.

Flake stood up and walked over to her, and rested his tail on her back. "I hear you," he whispered. "But...calm down."

She took a few breaths. She couldn't ever remember having been so angry in her life, or so determined to do something. Didn't they understand? "I'm going after him," she declared hoarsely, her voice rough from her shouting and weariness.

"Then I'm coming with you," Flake mewed firmly.

"And me," Reed added.

"Count us in," meowed Creek.

Tawny almost laughed with the joy of having her friends unite with her, but she knew she couldn't bring them all with her. "No. We need someone to stay here with the bodies..."

Raccoon sighed. "Creek and I will. You three go ahead."

Tawny nodded, and took off. She didn't even check to make sure that Flake and Reed were following her.

"Tawny, wait up!" called Flake. She reluctantly slowed her pace, and the two toms skidded to a halt beside her, spraying snow. "Taste the air. Try to smell him. Don't just run around."

Tawny felt herself warming in embarrassment - why had she been so reckless? Normally she was the cautious one, and it was her reminding her friends to scent - but not today. She tried to push the clouds out of her mind, wishing it was clear so she could think properly.

"We shouldn't let ourselves be seen," meowed Reed. "If Water Tribe sees us in camp before they find Whitewater, everything could be ruined."

This made Tawny and Flake pause. Was what they were about to do worth it? Would they even find their leader in camp?

"Maybe it's best if we split up," Flake suggested. "Our scents should still be disguised a bit by the dung. We search the camp, and if we find him, report back here. Come back here by sunrise anyhow, alright?"

"Sounds good," mewed Tawny, slightly disappointed that she hadn't been the one to come up with the well-thought-out plan, but willing to follow Flake nonetheless. They didn't have much time till sunrise, so she had to be swift. As Flake and Reed took off to the left and right, respectively, the small tawny she-cat padded straight into Water Tribe camp.

She was surprised to find that no one was awake yet. She supposed that technically it wasn't dawn yet, and the patrol might not wake up for a little while longer. Only how much longer she didn't know, so they had to move quickly. She walked by a series of tree dens, wondering subconsciously at how strange it was to have dens in trees. She didn't risk peeking inside any of them, in case some cat was awake and capable of seeing her. She padded silently, not bothering with the tracks behind her - after all, in the center of camp and away from Whitewater's den, it could have been anyone.

A sharp squeal snapped her out of her thoughts. She pricked up her ears, and heard only silence. Convinced that she was imagining things, she lowered her ears again, only to have the same squeal echo on the edge of her hearing.

_Leave it alone_, she told herself. _It's probably some cat having a nightmare._ Nonetheless, she found herself padding carefully towards were the squeals had come from, ears remaining upright at attention.

Another squeal - to her right. She turned. There was a den inside a thick rotting tree. She poked her nose inside, only to see a pair of sleeping she-cats who looked about her age, probably littermates. They were both sound asleep, each curled up with a separate piece of moss, and completely harmless.

_So much for that,_ Tawny mused. She wondered if lack of sleep, stress and emotional trauma were causing her to hear things. She quickly shoved away the idea that she was re-hearing Whitewater's death the second the thought occurred to her. No, it was just her mind longing for sleep -

- There it was again! _I _can't _be imagining this_, she told herself. _It's too real._ While the noise was barely on the edge of her hearing - if it wasn't dead quiet in the pre-dawn camp, or had she been walking with Flake, she would never have heard it - she was beginning to convince herself that it was all too real. But then if it was, did it matter? Probably just a dreaming cat -

- And again! This time behind her. She whirled around, finding herself staring at the back of another tree, slightly thinner than the last. For her own peace of mind, she walked around to the other side and poked her head in.

And there she found her leader.

She nearly leapt back and screamed in shock, but held both impulses in check. If he found out she had followed him, she didn't know _what _he would do, but she was pretty sure he wouldn't be happy. She cautiously moved forward, trying to get a better glimpse in the fading darkness of approaching dawn.

And there was the squeak again. It was coming from directly in front of her, but not from her leader. She blinked rapidly, trying to improve her night vision. When she opened her eyes, she could make out the faint outline of a small cat underneath him... a kit.

The kit squealed again in terror. _He's hurting a kit! I can't let him do this!_ Tawny decided. Without a single second thought she leapt at him, barreling into his side and throwing him off the kit.

"What - _you!_" the leader exclaimed, picking himself up quickly and seeming to glow with fury. "What are _you _doing here?" he demanded. "This is _my _business!"

"It's mine too!" Tawny meowed heatedly. "It's _our _patrol, and so it's our business to know where our leader is! So we have the right to come looking for you -"

"There are more of you around?" he spat. Without warning, he shoved her into the wall and had a claw at her throat with amazing swiftness. "Allow me to repeat; are you the only one who came searching?"

All Tawny's previous boldness deserted her. She hadn't even noticed, but in just the past two days she'd come a long way from Dark's shy, quiet trainee. Now, though, pinned to a wall and with a direct threat to her life, she once again she became the timid little trainee, afraid to speak and stand up for herself and always shuffling her paws in the snow. Fear pooled in her widened green eyes as her mind raced for an answer.

"N-no," she stammered. "But...but I'm the only one searching the camp...the others are s-searching around," she lied.

The leader was breathing heavily. He paused, as if pondering what to do with her. The moment seemed to last forever. Finally, still holding a claw at her throat, he opted to delay whatever punishment he had in mind with conversation.

"Do you know who these cats are?" he finally asked, his voice surprisingly lacking venom. Tawny couldn't believe him - making casual conversation while dangling her life over a cliff? A metaphorical cliff, of course. Her thought trail paused to reflect on what she had just thought, then she mentally slapped herself. She was beginning to sound insane, if not a bit like Dark. Maybe such were the effects knowing your life could end any second if one simple cat chose to make it so.

"You don't, do you," he murmured, taking her silence for lack of knowledge. Though in truth, Tawny hadn't looked at the cats at all. Now that her night vision was improving and the light of dawn was growing, she could make out the tiny brown and black kit her leader had been on top of. It was lying eerily still, though the weak squeaks it gave off every few seconds told her it wasn't dead. To its left, however, was a dusty-brown kit, lying noiseless and unmoving. Tawny realized, with indescribable horror and feeling her stomach drop to her toes, that the kit was dead.

"You...you killed an innocent kit," she spluttered, tears welling in her eyes. _How...how could he?_

"He's not innocent!" he roared, spitting in Tawny's face as he yowled. She closed her eyes, but shutting off her vision could never eliminate the picture of the dead kit in her mind. "Take another look at him," her captor commanded.

She opened her eyes slowly and cautiously, and for reasons unknown to her obeyed her leader's demand. She focused in on the bloody dead kit, taking in its dusty-brown fur, and glazed amber eyes...

"Great Sky Tribe," she whispered. The kit was the spitting image of Wood.

"You recognize him, I take it?" His dark gray eyes glowed with sick amusement.

"Wood..." she whispered, scared at how much the small kit looked like Wood's dead body.

"You must care a lot about Wood," the gray-eyed tabby taunted. "The look in your eyes and the lust in your voice say a lot."

Something, somewhere, somehow unlocked Tawny's inner fury. "You wouldn't know anything about caring!" she cried. "And you certainly wouldn't know anything about Wood! Wood is a kind cat who cares about the lives of others - something _you _wouldn't know a _thing _about!"

Tawny was panting, gasping for breath after her shouting rant. To her surprise, her captor loosened his grip on her and let her slide to the ground. She considered running, but no...the kits. She couldn't let him kill the remaining kit.

The realized, as her senses came back to her, that the brown tabby was laughing. _Laughing_. "What's so funny?" she hissed.

He turned to her, a scary unidentifiable light in his eyes. "You have _no idea _how much I know about your dear Wood," he meowed darkly. "He doesn't care about the lives of others - and he doesn't deserve to live."

Tawny gaped in horror. For all the time she'd known Wood, he'd seemed nothing but caring in kind, if not maybe a bit over energetic. How could this cat have come to hate him so much? How did he even _know _him? Then, suddenly, everything came together. She realized that these kits must be Wood's sister's kits; but why would he go after them in particular? It was simple, combined with the other facts coming together in her mind. The kits, his knowledge of Water Tribe territory, his hatred of said Tribe, his concealed identidy, his rogue lifestyle, his hatred of Wood, and most of all...those eyes. Those dark, smoky eyes.

"Smoke," she whispered.

The gray-eyed leader laughed darkly. "So, he told you, huh?" He took a step towards her. "Well, I'm afraid you know too much."

"You can't kill me," she mewed, trying to sound more confident than she felt, but failing miserably. Fear gripped her like an icy claw. "The other cats will see...they'll find out..."

"And what will they do?" he taunted. "I'm a better fighter than any of them. I've learned the hard way. I could take them all down."

"Dark would kill you," she meowed, her voice and body shaking. "I'm his trainee...and if you kill his patrol..."

"I'm not afraid of Dark," he meowed firmly. "Dark may be able to beat me, so let him. It's better than being a coward, like you and Wood and your worthless friends." He lashed out at her, but she was ready, and rolled to the side just in time.

_Now's the time to run_, she decided. _Forget the kits - RUN!_ She got up and dashed for the exit, only to be knocked down from behind. A pair of strong teeth clamped down on her forepaw, and she yowled in pain.

A pair of scary, vengeance filled eyes were illuminated in the advancing light. "You won't be running anywhere," he growled. Tawny squeezed her eyes shut.

* * *

**I do believe that's the longest chapter I've ever written, at 4,475 words without the author's notes. (cheers) I guess you guys deserve it, since I've been so bad about updating... **

Just to let you know, each of those two parts were long enough to be individual chapters (the first one barely, though). I guess I could've separated them to make your screen a bit smaller, but I like to have two different view points in most chapters. Just justifying the overly long chapter...you don't need to listen. XP At least I took off the bold for the long author's notes to keep you from being blinded.

And with that, till the next chapter (which I WILL try to make sooner),

Moonstar


	30. Flashback

Wait! Before you kill me, let me explain myself. It's the end of the quarter, and all the teachers wants to get in all their homework/tests/insane work before spring break. Plus, Moonstar made the varsity softball team! (dances) But this means practice every day except saturday, because games are on saturday, or in other words, not much time to write. But I'll find it, I will...

**Shaded-Strike:** maybe he's not as evil as you think...

**Moletail of the Squeaky-Cats:** yes, Tawnyn appears to be in trouble...(huggles Tawny)

**Stonetail's Loyalty:** you'll find out as we go. The two of them have different opinions on the matter.

**Tim:** well, technically I _can _kill her...but we'll see. XP

**MagicNo333:** too bad. The side numbers are fun. ɋ

**dragonqueenc: **maybe... (blink)

**Wolfstar:** thank StarClan indeed. I'm pretty sure they're not happy with me and my update speed.

**Homemade Pancakes: **aww, thanks. :)

**xXxMaplestarxXx:** yay, thanks!

**Stardawn:** I'm having a hard time replying today without giving away the story...so, I'll just have to say thanks for the review. xD

**Shadow of the Nights:** the little twisty is taking longer than I thought. But...wait for it! It's getting there! ...

**Flametail: **I'd love to write fiction some day, but I can't think of what I could possibly write, because all new fantasy books now seem the same. Magical land, cool heroes to save it... maybe I'll think of something else. ;)

**Black Wolf Jaganshi Lover:** we shall see...

**Chapter 30**

Smokepaw was annoyed. More annoyed than usual, which was surprisingly a rarity for him. Normally his irritation level remained at a high yet constant level, but Mud just seemed to have the natural skill to elevate it. He'd been trying to shake the traitor off for the past hour with little success, drawing suspicion from the mottled brown fighter and adding yet another worry to the list of troubles in his mind.

He had to get away from Mud before they got to camp, and reach the patrol before Mud did. Ideally he'd warn them and they'd kill Mud before he killed them or got into Water Tribe, and then they could prepare for Stoneice's invasion. But arriving _with _Mud might make things a bit more difficult. For one thing, he couldn't explain anything in front of Mud because in the event that the traitor escaped, he'd know everything. The ShadowClan apprentice praised himself for his cautious forethought, but knew it wasn't nearly enough.

"Why don't we take a break?" he suggested suddenly.

Mud's yellow eyes narrowed. "Stoneice said no breaks," he mewed icily.

"He didn't say no breaks. He said get there fast," Smokepaw pointed out. "There's a difference, moron."

Mud let out a low growl. "I swear, if I wasn't supposed to be working with you, I'd..."

"You'd what?" Smokepaw taunted. "I hope you weren't about to say attack me, because doing so would be futile. I could beat you with my eyes closed." He grinned with satisfaction as Mud grew visibly angrier.

"You'd better stop that," the muddy-brown tom threatened, lowering himself into a crouch.

"Or else what? You gonna tell Stoneice on me?" Smokepaw was thoroughly enjoying himself. He hadn't had such an opportunity to make use of his skills in making fun and provoking since before his fall from the cliff. "Pweese don't tell Stoneice on me!"

He had to give Mud some credit; in his place, he probably would have lost it by now. Though Mud wasn't exactly content; digging his claws into the ground, seething and fuming so violently that Smokepaw could have sworn he saw the fire coming out his ears. But instead of leaping at him and attempting to tear his throat out, Mud growled, "I'm going to hunt. I'll be back shortly." He turned and stalked off, huffing and puffing to control his inner rage. "And don't go anywhere," he called over his shoulder.

"Oh, I won't," replied Smokepaw in his favorite mock-cheerful tone. His companion shot him a glare, then turned and dashed away. As soon as he was out of earshot, Smokepaw smirked. "Of course I won't."

TTT

Leaf was the first one to awaken. She noticed, through the haze of half-sleep, Willow asleep at her side, and Wood lying in the snow in front of her. She remembered with a fierce jolt the Ice Tribe fighter who had been pursuing them, and forced herself to her paws to check on him.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw that the black and white patched tom was still asleep. Though stumped as to what they'd do with him when he woke, it was relieving to know that he was not an immediate threat.

Willow was slowly opening his pale green eyes. "Hey, Leaf," he slurred wearily. "We alive?"

Leaf couldn't help but grin. "Yeah," she replied. "Dunno how, but yeah."

Willow forced himself upright. "Is Wood okay?" he asked worriedly, memories of the previous night's escape rushing back into his head. He remembered the sight of Wood and his enemy collapsed in the snow, and ferverently hoped his friend was alright.

"Yeah, he seems okay, but I don't know what we're going to do with the fighter when he wakes up," Leaf mewed distractedly, gazing nervously at the black and white tom lying unconscious next to Wood.

Willow paused in thought. "Ask him to join us?" he suggested feebly.

"Yeah right."

"You want to kill him?"

"No..."

"Then we have to try our options." Willow looked like he felt the same way as she did, stuck on the fact that killing the fighter would be wrong, but not knowing what else to do.

The young trainee's pale green eyes were wandered aimlessly in his attempt to come to a conclusion, and suddenly landed on an abnormality in the snow. More than an abnormality - the snow was colored. Colored red.

"Foxdung," he hissed. Leaf looked at him questioningly. "Is Wood injured?"

"Not that I can see," Leaf replied slowly.

"Roll him over." Confused but startled by Willow's sudden rough tone, Leaf did as she was told. She let out a shocked gasp as she saw the deep gash on their friend's shoulder.

"Is he going to be alright?" Willow asked fearfully, rushing to their side.

"I don't know...I think it's stopped bleeding..." Leaf was at a loss. She didn't know what she'd do if they lost Wood. A cat she used to genuinely despise and find exceptionally irritating - after all, no one liked being pushed through icy lakes and nearly freezing to death - but she now knew him as a brave, loyal and true friend who she couldn't bear to lose. "The bleeding's stopped, but..." she trailed off. "I don't know...I'm no herb cat. Ask Frost."

Willow looked around for their gray-furred companion, fully prepared and excited at the prospect of waking him annoyingly. But as he scanned the area around them, he realized with a horrible sinking that the herb apprentice was nowhere in sight.

þ þ þ

"Scared?"

The thick voice crept into her ears and sent chills down Tawny's spine.

_Scared?_

Scared silly. Scared out of her mind. Her death was clearly visible with a drastically higher likelihood than she would have preferred. The dead kit and its injured sister completely left her mind - even as she caught sight of their mother lying dead in the corner, shrouded in shadows, the vision didn't register.

She was down to her primitive senses. _Pain. Fear. _And her basic instincts. _Escape. Run._

But it was impossible. The clenching grip on her forepaw disappeared only to reveal a bloody, twisted paw she couldn't walk on, let alone run on.

_  
Let alone _fight_ with._

Fear, exhaustion, blood loss, trauma, and the throbbing pain in her paw - she couldn't take it. The small trainee crumpled to the ground, and found herself staring up helplessly into the pair of hard, steely gray eyes.

"I do regret this," he mewed quietly. "I'll try to make it fast." He sounded more sympathetic than Tawny had anticipated, his voice lacking the stereotyped laces of a villain's cruelty. Maybe there was hope. A slim chance, albeit slimmer than a flattened leaf, was a chance nonetheless. Though she would have preferred to be clinging to life by a strong rope than a fragile flattened leaf, it was better than nothing to cling to at all, and it was all she had.

"Don't you feel regret for the cats you've killed?" Tawny asked quietly. He hesitated. The tawny-furred trainee prayed to Sky Tribe that meant she was getting through to the ice-hearted leader, and continued. "The lives you've ruined - the lives you've _taken?_ No regrets?"

Her captor paused before laughing hollowly. "I haven't killed as many as you think," he mewed softly. "Whitewater, Birch, Amber and that kit - the makes only four."

_Only?_ Tawny didn't voice the scream in her head. "None before?" she asked timidly, finding herself oddly curious. He certainly seemed the murderous type, and she had naturally assumed he'd killed other cats previous to Whitewater.

"Well, I may have killed a couple in battle; but no. None before." She couldn't tell what emotion was hidden behind his voice, or make sense of why he was bothering to converse with her before putting her to death. All she knew was the maybe, just maybe, her flat leaf was getting a bit thicker.

"Then why?" she whispered. "Your Tribe leader, your family, who are supposed to be closest to you... why them?"

The stormy eyes darkened, and for a moment Tawny feared she had taken a wrong turn; made the one fatal mistake required to end her life. But rather than bring about her death, she had merely invoked a fit of rage.

"Why?" he hissed. "_Why?_" He snarled darkly. "I suppose Wood didn't tell you what _really _happened. It would be just like him to turn himself into the hero."

"What really happened?" Tawny prompted. Making him waste time was good; maybe Flake or Reed would find her, or even just another Water Tribe cat. She knew she couldn't get up or walk on her injured, flaring paw, so her patrol mates were her only hope.

"You really want to know?" his darkness seemed to be evaporating, but his rage was swelling to levels she'd never seen before in any cat. "Well since I have to kill you anyhow, I guess there's no harm in telling you..."

x x x

_"Please, please come hunting with me Smoke!" The tiny dusty-brown tom was literally bouncing with excitement. _

_"No, Wood." The cat who replied was slightly darker-furred, slightly taller, and had an air of eerie calmness about him._

_  
"Why not?" The wide amber eyes were shaping into a pout-face, something his littermate could never resist._

_"Alright," he gave in. "But don't tell Whitewater."_

_"Of course not!" the little trainee chirped. "This is so exciting!" he went on as they started walking. "Aspen never let me out of camp on my own, she says I'm too little - but I'm a trainee now! Trainees are allowed to hunt on their own, aren't they? She thinks new trainees shouldn't even be let out of camp! But I'm with you, so I'll be super safe, because you'll kill anything that tries to hurt us, right Smoke?"_

_The brown tabby shook his head with a light chuckle at his littermate's rantings. "Of course," he replied._

_"That's right! You're the best, Smoke!" Wood looked up at his brother with glowing admiration. "And one day you'll save Water Tribe, and then there'll be no danger and we can hunt together all the time!"_

_  
The praise gave Smoke prideful warmth, but with Wood's words came a sharp jab. _One day you'll save Water Tribe. _He hated his destiny. From the moment he opened his eyes as a newborn kit he was treated differently, all because of his coal gray orbs. Gray eyes weren't in the family, his parents said. It was surely a sign. He was the Falling Smoke destined to destroy Ice Tribe and give Water Tribe full reign of the Snowlands, they told him._

_And yet he doubted himself. He didn't _feel _like a savior. He didn't _want _to be a savior. He envied his brother and sister, who were both allowed to lead normal lives as newly apprenticed trainees, six moons of age. His training had begun under Whitewater at the tender age of three moons, and he had come to hate his mentor. She was a rigorous instructor, pushing him to and beyond his limits, always disappointed and never satisfied. He _was _a better than average fighter, born with natural fighting ability and instinct, and this only fueled the Tribe's hopes for him. Yet nothing he did was good enough, and he was always letting his trainer down. He couldn't even imagine what would happen if he failed to destroy Ice Tribe - the whole world would crash down around him as all the hopes shattered, and his Tribe would forsake him._

_He hated it._

_He wasn't even allowed out of camp. Whitewater had deemed it unnecessary for him to learn to hunt - the Tribe could hunt for him, and he could devote all his energy to fighting. Yet Wood had been pestering him for a while, wanting to hunt with his brother like all the other trainees did. Wood's trainer, Aspen, always went hunting with _her_ brother, so why couldn't he go hunting with his?_

_But Smoke wasn't _allowed _out of camp. It wasn't safe, according to Whitewater. The enemy could be anywhere, and having young Smoke on hunting patrol wasn't worth the risk of losing the prodigy. _

_In fact, this was his very first time out of camp. It was bright and exhilarating, filling him with a thirst to explore. He followed alongside his brother, who seemed to know the way from Aspen's tour, taking in all the new sights and scents of the forbidden world._

_"This is Freezepool," mewed Wood as they approached an iced-over lake. "I always thought it'd be really fun to slide on, but Aspen said no. What do _you _think?"_

_Smoke frowned. "I don't know... it doesn't look safe. What if you fell through?"_

_"Then I'd swim to safety, of course!" Wood informed him. "C'mon, slide across with me. Just once. Please?"_

_Damn those round amber eyes. "Just once," he gave in. Wood whooped with delight and bounded towards the iced lake, emanating excitement and anticipation._

_Smoke followed at a calmer, normal pace, and joined his littermate by the lakeside. "Ready?" he purred._

_Wood nodded eagerly. "Set."_

_But neither of them ever had the chance to say go, as a pack of enemy fighters exploded from a nearby snowdrift._

_"Ice Tribe!" Wood yowled. "Run away, Smoke!"_

_But it was too late for the Water Tribe prodigy to make a run for it. The attackers had encircled them and were closing in fast. Wood found himself back to back with his brother in his first battle, though with his extensive training Smoke was obviously the more experienced and skilled fighter._

_"Smoke, I'm scared," he whimpered._

_The brown tabby returned no words of advice, just gritted his teeth. Even with his natural ability and unusual training, they were vastly outnumbered, and the two trainees didn't stand a chance._

_"Look! The Falling Smoke!" an Ice Tribe fighter yowled. Obviously they hadn't been expecting him._

_Ears shot up across the mob. "Well, what are you waiting for?" demanded a gruff voice. "Get him!"_

_Smoke tried to defend himself, and did so admirably. He ducked under his first attacker and knocked out the second with a short blow to his face, but the third and fourth pinned him to the ground. He spotted his brother, unnoticed by the ambushers, standing frozen with fear._

_"Wood! Help!" he shouted._

_"I...I can't, Smoke!" Wood cried. He looked smaller and younger than ever, withdrawing into himself like a terrified turtle. "They'll kill me...I don't have the skill..."_

_"You have to _try!_" Smoke pleaded, but the dusty-brown trainee remained idle. He blinked and his brother was gone, swallowed by the mob of Ice Tribe fighters._

_"Wood," Smoke whispered, tears welling in his eyes. "Wood..."_

_But his brother had gone. Left him. He realized with a pang that his littermate was no different than the rest of the Tribe. He'd thought Wood wasn't the same - he'd thought that Wood saw him as more than a tool, as less than the chosen one. As a normal cat. As a friend, as a brother._

_But no, Wood was no different. Wood had only idolized him because of the prophecy, not because he was cool, kind, or because they were kin. Wood had only liked him because of his destiny, but when danger arose, he was willing to forget him for his own safety. Coward. Shows how much he cared._

_He snarled with rage, not at the cats who were overpowering him and dragging him down, but at his brother. It was Wood's fault he'd left the safety of camp, it was Wood's fault he was getting beaten up as he was now, because if Wood had taken the initiative to help him with the first two attackers, he could have broken free. But Wood had abandoned him. And so as he lost consciousness, all he could think of was his rage towards the traitor he'd called a brother._

x x x

_Wood was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming. Yet he couldn't shake himself from the reality of the nightmare._

_He was transported back in time, to the day he had lost his beloved brother forever. It was all his fault. He remembered Smoke's obvious hesitation to leaving camp, recalled Whitewater's warnings, but he disregarded all of it, all for his own selfish desire to hunt with his brother._

_The Ice Tribe fighters burst from the snowdrift. They had obviously been waiting, probably to ambush a patrol, but they weren't expecting the prize they had stumbled upon - the Falling Smoke. And his littermate. Not that they cared at all about said littermate - in fact, they all went straight for Smoke without a single glance at Wood._

_He watched Smoke dodge his first two attackers, and for a moment he was sure that his great brother would take out the entire mob, all fifteen or so of them, and they would return to camp like heroes. But he failed to realize that Smoke wasn't a supercat, and wasn't capable of such a feat. Sometimes he even forgot that Smoke was the same age as him, as he seemed so much older. _

_He watched - no, _stood by _in horror as Smoke went down. He could have helped him then. He could have attacked the two cats pinning him down - if only he had acted sooner._

_"Wood! Help!"_

_"I...I can't, Smoke! They'll kill me...I don't have the skill..." he trailed off before he could finish the sentence. Before he could add, "That you have." He was choked by his own tears and fear._

_"You have _try!"_ there was his strong brother, _pleading_ for his help. He couldn't... he would die... suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over him. What was he doing, standing idle while his brother was beaten and taken away by the enemy? He had to at least try to help him... or die trying._

_Prepared to do just that, Wood leapt forward, but it was too late. A group of fighters had blocked off the path to his brother, and a strike to his head sent him spinning to the ground. He felt himself hit the snow, felt the blood leaking from his ears, but couldn't feel any physical pain. Only a crying heart, as the image of his overpowered, defeated brother lying the snow, crying out for him._

I'm sorry Smoke... I failed you...

_And he blacked out. _

_Spinning through a world of darkness, where he deserved to be. He had failed. His brother was gone. All because of his hesitation, his cowardice..._

_"Wood."_

_Someone was calling him, but he didn't want to answer. He _couldn't.

_"Wood."_

_No. I don't deserve to reply._

_"Wood!"_

"Wood!" His eyes opened slowly. A pair of pale green eyes hovered above him, gazing down at him with concern. "Wood, are you alright?"

Wood blinked rapidly. He hesitated before replying, "Yeah... I think so..."

"Were you having a nightmare?" asked Leaf quietly. "You were crying out in your sleep." He realized she was licking his shoulder wound, which was still throbbing.

"...Yeah," he answered weakly. "You could say that."

* * *

**A few quick notes: sorry if the change in flashback POV was confusing. Basically, it went from Smoke's reminiscing to Wood's dream, or even simpler, from Smoke POV to Wood POV. **

**Also, Birch, a cat mentioned on Smoke's list of cats he's killed, is the one who spotted them with Whitewater and he attacked on the way out of camp. He was mentioned previously as Willow's trainer, but that's not really important. xP**

**Sorry about the long time between updates. But till next time,**

**Moonstar**


	31. Eyes and Fur

**Guess who's back... and with a shiny new chapter!**

**Shaded-Strike:** I know, that's why I luffle Smoke too... he's really not as evil as he seems...

**Shadowed Horizon:** wish I could tell you, but... actually, no I don't. ;) keep reading!

**Shadow of the Nights: **s'okay. I love Smokepaw too. :)

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire: **haha, no. Yellow eyes. And I think I've mentioned it before, correct me if I'm wrong. Clever, though, if you were thinking what I think you were...

**Stardawn:** these questions will be answered... after the break. (American Idol theme music)

**MagicNo333:** I always _remember _to update, I just don't always get around to it. xD

**TawnyLeaf:** aww c'mon, that was pretty long... but here's a nice long one coming up.

**Rockclaw: **(smirks) not yet, but soon enough...

**Black Wolf Jaganshi Lover: **thanks for the review!

**Soren Silverwolf:** I know, isn't it? ;) Thanks for reading!

**Loup D'Amour **and anyone who's confused about anything: Smoke is Wood's brother. When they were younger, he was kidnapped by Ice Tribe. Smoke and Wood were part of a litter of three - their sister, Amber, is Mud's mate. Amber and Mud just had kits. Smoke killed one, injured another, and killed Amber. Now he's reminiscing for Tawny, while Reed and Flake obliviously look for them. Smokepaw has ditched Mud and is rushing to find the assasination gang. Meanwhile Willow, Leaf, and Wood are in an unknown location between Water Tribe and Ice Tribe territory with an Ice tribe fighter. Frost is... well, can't tell you. ;) Everything clear? If not, just ask!

**Note: I didn't put the flashback in italics, 'cause it was long and didn't want to make you all dizzy... but you should be able to distinguish it anyways. To help you out, the first line of the flashback is in italics, but not the rest. And just like all other flashbacks, the beginning and end are marked with the **x x x** divider. Just thought I'd let you know.**

**Chapter 31**

Tawny was frozen, completely at a loss for words as the story flowed from her the brown tabby's lips. Love, happiness. Darkness, betrayal. Caused by her own Tribe and friend, no less. She vaguely remembered the buzzing excitement that had engulfed the camp - she'd been three moons old then, a mere kit, but she remembered the radiating smugness of the cats around her and whispers of Falling Smoke. But...then what? That's when her memory went blank. She never remembered killing Smoke, employing him, or anything else involving him; it was almost as if he had just disappeared.

As his story concluded with a wash of blackness, she turned to her captor with the question bubbling on her tongue. But he had fallen eerily silent, and she found herself staring into hazy, glazed gray eyes, that were most certainly not in the same world as she was.

"Smoke?" she whispered hesitantly. When he didn't reply, she repeated a little louder, "Smoke? Can you hear me?"

As expected, she received no reply. Fully intending to seize her chance, she squirmed to the side to escape his grip on her throat and make a run for it, only to find him unconsciously pushing down harder. And it _hurt_, she noted with a wince, as she felt a scarlet drop run down her neck. She was still trapped.

Her captor was physically present, as she was painfully there, but his mind seemed to be in another dimension. He gazed silently into space, his eyes glassed over, with Sky Tribe knows what going through his head...

x x x

_Smoke woke up just in time to feel his body crash into a hard, cold surface. _He wisely kept his eyes closed, and was rewarded by the sound of retreating pawsteps. When he was sure the cats who had placed, no, _thrown_ him into the den were gone, he opened his cursed gray eyes and took a look around.

It was definately a prison den, he noted. There wasn't a trace of moss, there were dead and rotting insects scattered around the sides, and smelly mold was sprouting from the stone walls. And he was alone.

Many cats would have tried to convince themselves that this nightmare was only a dream, but not Smoke. He was logical, and knew without biting his paw that he was awake in reality. This meant that he might never see Water Tribe again - a slight relief - but it also meant he was probably going to die. Another reality crashed over him, this one ten times more painful then his encroaching death - his brother's betrayal. He hissed in physical and mental pain - the brother he'd loved and cared for, with those wide amber eyes and innocent grin, had never returned the feelings. He felt so used, unneeded, unwanted, unloved.

The sound of approaching pawsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. He snapped his eyes shut, feigning sleep, as the paws entered the den.

"Open your eyes, kit," mewed a gruff, but not quite cold voice. "I know you're awake."

Smoke's eyes remained shut as his imagination went wild with the possibilities of the speaker's identity. He'd heard horrible tales of the evil leader Stoneice's cruelty, the kind mothers used to get their kits to behave. And while Smoke, ever the realist, had never believed the fantasies with kit eating shadowed monsters that swooped down from the sky, he knew there was a grain of truth to them.

Or it could be Stoneice's henchmen, the cats he trusted with his dirty work. There could be more on the way besides this one, all with the intention of killing him and prying the power of the prophecy out of his dying claws. Or it could be Dark, Stoneice's right paw cat, sent to do the job himself. The tales about Dark were as lengthy and filled with terror as those about Stoneice himself. The pair was the cruelest, darkest, most terrible duo the Snowlands had ever seen - and one of them was possibly standing before him.

"Stop playing dumb, kit," meowed the voice, not quite impatiently, but somehow urging him to comply. Smoke realized that by keeping up his facade he was only delaying the inevitable, and he might as well get on with it.

The smoky gray eyes opened slowly. Maybe the cat would get freaked out by them and the moment of hesitation would be enough for his escape? _Fat chance_. But he could still hope...

The cat standing before him didn't flinch or even bat an eyelid as his deep, dark blue eyes met Smoke's own. Smoke took in the dark-furred, muscular form with a sinking heart and felt himself falling into a pit of terror. His worse fears had come to life - before him stood Dark, holding his fragile life in his claws.

"Don't look so terrified, kit," Dark mewed, his voice taking on a... _kind_ tone? "I'm not going to hurt you."

Smoke laughed a hollow, crazed laughter he hadn't known he possessed. It must have been the laughter of a cat who is resigned to his fate, he concluded. "Yeah right," he growled darkly. "Please, just get it over with."

"I wasn't going to stall, if that's what you were implying," the dark-furred tom meowed bluntly, and Smoke's jaw almost dropped. The cat obviously knew what he really was implying. And he was obviously there to do it. The nerve he had, to use_ sarcasm _in his last minutes?

"Just kill me already and spare me the tongue and cheek," Smoke mewed bitterly, his stone gray eyes burning into the Ice Tribe fighter's pelt.

"While I admit optimism isn't always the greatest, pessimism can be even worse," Dark meowed, his voice taking on an informative tone. "And I had taken you to be a realist, which is just right."

"I _am_ a realist," Smoke snapped. He took great pride in his sense of logic and reality, so diverse from the over-imaginative kits and the grumpy elders.

"And a realist would consider all options," Dark continued as if uninterrupted. "Death most prominent, but also the idea that I might be trying to help you." He smirked as Smoke's eyes widened with astonishment. "But enough with my lesson; I don't have much time to talk. Listen closely, because I can only say it once.

"There are six cats within Water Tribe, including myself and Leopard, Flake and Silver guarding your den, who are devoted to peace in the Snowlands. We _oppose_ Stoneice's plans of domination and destruction."

"What does this have to do with me?" Smoke demanded, trying to hide his surprise. Dark, Stoneice's right paw cat, a traitor? It didn't seem right. But then, why would he lie about it?

Dark's deep blue eyes burned into his own. "You're not the chosen cat," he mewed quietly. His air of authority, the tone of solidity, was all lost in those words. If Smoke hadn't known better, he would have considered those words to be sympathetic, maybe even understanding. Were they?

"Of course I am," Smoke shot. They may be able to kill him, but he would at least die with his dignity. "Can't you see it in my eyes? I'm the Falling Smoke that will shatter the Ice. And your Tribe wants me dead."

"Yes," Dark meowed. "That they do. But even if you are the falling Smoke, which I'm not sure that you are - you don't deserve this."

For the first time in his life, Smoke was completely at a loss. The thoughts of dignity were forgotten. "W - what?" he stammered.

"You don't deserve this," Dark repeated. "No doubt that wildclaw Whitewater has been subjecting you to unfair treatment. And here, Stoneice will torture you and then kill you brutally." He saw Smoke wince. "No point in hiding the truth from you, realist. But this can be avoided." The gray eyes widened. "We're going to get you out of here. Tonight, just after moonhigh. Be awake."

"Where are you taking me?" Smoke interrupted his voice abnormally high-pitched.

"You could go back to your Tribe, if you wished," Dark meowed. Smoke hesitated, then shook his head furiously. All that awaited him back home was merciless training and the fickle, fake love of a cowardly brother. He couldn't go back there.

"As I thought," meowed Dark. "So, there's an ice cave some distance out of camp - about a day's walk, half a day running. Large enough for one cat to hide inside. You could go there."

Smoke nodded slowly, then paused. "But then what will I do with my life?" he asked, panicked. "How will I get food? Sit around in a cave till my fur turns gray and I starve to death?"

"No, no," Dark meowed comfortingly. "You can hunt. And I'll visit you as regularly as I can, and teach you. I hear you're a natural fighter, and it'll pass the time. And this war won't go on forever. Some day, one side will come out on top - be it Water, Ice, or us rebels - but when that day comes, you'll be able to show yourself. And should a time come when we need to fight for victory, you'll be ready."

Smoke nodded numbly. The thought of being trained by one of the most skilled fighters in the Snowlands - and actually trained, not put through pointless exercises while being berated - was enticing. And he was content to wait. And he was growing more and more used to the idea of being a loner. Having cats around him could force you to get attached to them, which would make it all the more painful when they betrayed him. It was better to be alone.

"Good. Be awake tonight. We'll leave at Third Watch."

Dark sat up to leave. Smoke paused, then called after him. "Wait!"

Dark turned back. "I don't have much time before the watch changes, and unfriendly guards are on the way. What is it?"

Smoke hesitated again, but went ahead. "Why?" Dark's head cocked to the side in question. "Why are you doing this for me?" he clarified. "You're endangering your own life and the lives of your followers for me... why?"

Dark's face took on a warm gaze and a soft hue to his eyes, a look Smoke would never have guessed Stoneice's right paw cat possessed. "Because you're a living creature, a cat, like the rest of us. You're too young to have been through what you have, to have seen what you've seen. And as cats who consider ourselves to be morally correct, it is our duty to help you." As soon as he finished speaking, his face hardened and he slipped on his steely, impassive mask. But Smoke had seen, and it warmed him inside to think that there were brave, right-minded cats like Dark out there.

"Thank you," he whispered, but Dark was already gone.

x x x

Leaf gave Wood's shoulder wound a final lick. "The bleeding's stopped," she informed him. "It should be alright."

"Should be?" asked Wood nervously.

"I don't know..." Leaf focused her eyes on the sparkling snow. "I'm not herb cat..."

Wood's brow knotted in thought. "Just ask the know-it-all then." Willow and Leaf exchanged glances. "What?"

"Uhh... we don't know where Frost is," Willow replied quietly.

"You don't know where he is?" Wood snapped up to his paws, glancing around desperately. "If he's not here, he's..."

"Yeah," whispered Leaf.

Wood blinked. An image ran through his mind - the split second before his death, pictures of his life flashing before him, a claw coming down towards his throat - and then a gray blur flying over his head, the weight above him lifted.

"Great Sky Tribe," Wood murmured. Willow and Leaf gazed at him questioningly. "He saved my life. And got caught." He shook his head, eyes glowing with fear, but for the sake of his companions forced a grin. "When this is all over, he'll never leave me alone about it," he attempted at humor.

No one thought it was very funny.

"What are we going to do?" asked Leaf, breaking an ominous silence. "We...we can't just leave him there..."

"No matter how much we don't like him," Willow added with a wink at Wood.

Wood sighed. "I don't think I dislike him anymore," he mewed quietly. "He's a skilled herb cat... a brave comrade... and even a friend, loyal and true." _And underneath his layer of ice, he's not that different from me_. "And he tried to rescue me, so he deserves the same."

Willow and Leaf nodded. "But we've got to get to Water Tribe," Leaf meowed. "We have to find Smokepaw, Dark's patrol, and get rid of Mud..."

"We could split up," Willow suggested.

Wood frowned. "I don't like that very much; it means one of us would be going alone."

There was a still silence. No one wanted to go alone, and it seemed that both destinations required all three of them. But before any of them could speak, they were interrupted by a low growl.

"Where... where am I?"

They simultaneously whirled around to face the black and white patched Ice Tribe fighter, who was tentatively lifting his head off the snow.

Leaf, Wood and Willow exchanged panicked glances. _What do we do? What do we do? What in Sky Tribe's name do we _do?

Leaf took the lead. "You're... you're outnumbered," she mewed shakily. "Don't fight..."

The fighter blinked and cleared his vision. "_You!"_ he yowled. "The prisoners!" He made a lunge at Willow, standing closest to him. The pale-furred trainee quickly dodged and swiftly pinned his reckless attacked to the ground.

"Since when could Willow do that?" Leaf whispered to Wood, who looked on with amusement.

_Nice, Willow,_ he praised mentally, but only for a moment; he was preoccupied with observations of the Ice Tribe fighter. _I was hoping he might be peaceful, maybe even join us. Wishful thinking. He seems like the reckless, dirty and cruel type. Foxdung._

Willow held the black and white tom down in an iron grip, his pale eyes flashing. Wood couldn't help but wonder if it was anger towards Frost's capture, as the sudden streak of impatience and anger seemed out of character for his friend. "Listen," Willow told his captive, attempting to force confidence into his voice. "We won't hurt you if you cooperate."

"Like hell," growled the fighter, his fiery orange eyes flashing.

"Then... then I'll be forced... to..." Willow trailed off. It seemed that even in his anger, Willow didn't have the will to make a genuine threat on a cat's life. Wood sighed, knowing he would have done the same. How weak were they?

The orange-eyed tom laughed. "You're just a Water Tribe coward. You're not going to do _anything_." Willow froze, not knowing what to do, and the fighter took the opportunity. He shoved the trainee off him and quickly moved away from his three enemies.

"Cowards," he spat. "_Pathetic._ This is why you're not going to win the war." And with that he took off into the white landscape.

"What're you waiting for?" yowled Wood, and sprinted after him.

"Wood, wait!" Leaf hollered. The trainee hesitated. "Wood, stop! It's not worth it!:

"He knows where we are!" Wood protested. "He's going to run back to Stoneice, or worse, to Water Tribe! We have to - "

"Your shoulder is hurt. And we have a mission to complete," Leaf stated. "That's a risk we'll have to take."

Willow paused before asserting his opinion. The fire was gone from his pale green eyes, and he seemed resigned to his normal self. "Leaf's right," he murmured. "We have to get to Water Tribe and save a lot of tails. In other words, our allies need us, so we've got to move on."

Wood snarled his opposition, but reluctantly made his way back and sat by his companions. "Fine. You go on to Water Tribe," he meowed, inhaling deeply to calm himself. He prided himself on composure, morals and social skills, and he supposed he should try to live up to it. "But I'm going back for Frost."

"Wood, wait," mewed Leaf. "You shouldn't. Your shoulder needs treatment - "

"He got captured saving _my _life!" Wood snapped. He quickly calmed himself again. "Sorry. Really. It's just... all this... _frustrates_ me..."

Willow placed a comforting tail on his friend's back. "We have to get your shoulder treatment, and trust me, they won't treat it in Ice Tribe."

"But Water Tribe doesn't even have an herb cat," Wood countered.

"But they have supplies," Leaf replied without missing a beat. "Someone there'll be able to patch you up. In Ice Tribe I'm pretty sure you'll get less than a warm welcome. Willow should go."

"Why are you so reluctant?" Willow meowed. "I mean, I was going to volunteer anyhow - he's saved my life too - "

Leaf's bright green eyes twinkled. "We'll never hear the end of it," she meowed.

"You changed the subject," Wood pointed out. "Why are you so reluctant to go back? Don't tell me you're _scared._" His tone seemed joking, but it was hard to tell with Wood at a time like this.

To be honest, Leaf didn't know exactly why, but she _had _to go to Water Tribe. She felt as if she had something special to do there, maybe someone to see..._ but I don't really like Water Tribe... with Stream dead, and with the exception of a few trainees, I don't have many friends there._ Of course, there were foreigners in Water Tribe like now, like Dark's patrol and Smokepaw - _Smokepaw._

_That's stupid. Why would I want to see that fishbrain? I don't even know if Smokepaw's his real name._ But still she remembered fondly toying with him what seemed like an eternity ago, as she and Stream gave him a tour of their territory. Or when he chose to help her, back in Ice Tribe, how those hard yellow eyes had softened - or was it a trick of the light? And he'd said stubbornly that he was only helping them for his own good, but she had a hunch that the coldness was just an artificial shell around a warm, kind heart. The sharp look in those blazing eyes had never left her, the way he glared when she annoyed him, the way she laughed in satisfaction. The way she interacted with him, it was like no cat she'd ever met before. She had no idea what it was or what it meant, but whatever it was, she missed it.

She had to see him again. There was no lying to herself. She had to go to Water Tribe because she _had _to see Smokepaw. But no need for Willow and Wood to know that.

So she just shrugged. "Guess I am a bit scared. But I also kind of want to go home again."

The toms accepted her answer without much thought; they had more on their minds. "Don't worry, I'll rescue Frost," Willow assured Wood. "He got captured saving my life too, remember. The first time, during the ambush, he arrived just in time."

"He sure does have a thing for saving cats he supposedly doesn't like in the nick of time," Wood noted. Willow grinned.

"Well, we'd better get going then," the pale-eyed trainee meowed. "I probably want to get there before they kill him." Leaf winced, but realized how much the atmosphere had lightened. Just when the three of them were starting to feel happy and safe again; _maybe it's because Frost isn't here,_ she mused - but no matter how temporary and fake this sense of security and bliss was, she was reluctant to leave it.

"Fine," she meowed. "We'll go now. Come on, Wood."

The amber-eyed trainee bounded after her, shifting his weight away from his shoulder, leaving Willow to pad alone in the opposite direction.

"Good luck," he called to his friends in goodbye.

"Same to you," Wood yowled after him. _He'll need it._

-:-

It was getting light out, and Smokepaw quickly realized that if he went straight to Water Tribe camp, he'd risk getting seen by the dawn patrol. So he veered around and outside, feeling rather pleased with himself for his cautious forethought and uncanny memory of the territory.

He entered camp through a wide break in the ring of skeletal trees, stepping as quietly as his rough pads and the crunchy snow would allow. He could hear the murmurs and stirrings of waking cats, the short high-pitched breaths of yawns. He could smell the morning moist gathered around twitching whiskers, and the calm scent radiating from the dens. He could feel bodies getting to their paws, pawsteps making a dull thud as the wandered around, stretching and flexing their awakened limbs. He was going to be in trouble if he didn't find his allies soon.

Which raised the question; who exactly was he looking for?

He knew that he was looking for a member of Dark's patrol. He supposed he should try to find the leader, but he had no idea who the leader _was_. He wondered grumpily if maybe he should have found Dark and asked him all this _before_ he ran off with Mud; but no, he hadn't had any time, he told himself.

_You keep thinking that, _he mused, knowing deep down that he had screwed up. Speaking of screwing up, if he had screwed up like this in ShadowClan, with a stupid mental mistake, he would have been _so _screwed. Oakfur would have had him cleaning the elders den for moons.

But he wasn't home in ShadowClan. He was here in the Snowlands, and at a loss, searching for unknown cats in hostile territory.

Well, not completely unknown cats. He would know any of the Ice Tribe cats if he saw them; he may not know them by name, but he'd be able to identify their Ice Tribe allegiance. And he was also pretty sure he'd be able to distinguish Ice Tribe scent - his hypothesis was confirmed as the faint smell reached his nostrils.

He sniffed again and opened his jaw to taste the air. The apprentice was rewarded with a slightly stronger Ice Tribe scent mingled with stale fox dung. According to Oakfur, cat scent mixed with dung could only mean one of two things: either there was both a fox and a cat nearby, in which case he and the other cat were supposed to gang up and kill the fox, or someone was trying to disguise their scent.

Knowing that it was obviously the latter, Smokepaw started to follow the mixed smell. At one point it seemed to go two directions; he picked one randomly. When he came to another fork on his scent trail, he wisely paused to listen. On one side were pawsteps and soft voices - some cats seemed to be awake. So, by default, he went the other way.

He was beginning to think that maybe the patrol had already left camp when his ears picked up a low whimper. He froze and listened - and heard it again. It was coming from the direction of the scent trail. He wondered if maybe one of them had been captured, and cautiously made his way towards the soft noise. It was coming from one of the tree-dens, a thick oak trunk. Fully prepared to take on an enemy torturing one of his allies, Smokepaw whipped himself around into the entranceway.

He had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping in shock. While he only recognized one of the two cats he immediately saw, both of them had the Ice Tribe dung scent mixture. Though it must have been wrong to assume that they were both his allies, for one was attempting to strangle the other - a sharp claw was placed at throat of the cat he recognized as Dark's trainee. He subconsciously took in the still bodies of an amber-furred she-cat and a young kit, the writhing body of a bleeding kit at its side.

From what he remembered of Dark's trainee, whose name he couldn't put a paw on, she was quiet and timid, posing about as much threat as a pebble sinking in the Freezepool. He honestly couldn't fathom why one of her allies would be trying to throttle the life out of her, unless he was a traitor, which seemed to be the case. His mind made up, Smokepaw took action.

He lunged into the den and shoved the brown tabby off of the small she-cat. She broke into a coughing fit as sufficient air filled her lungs and a trickle of blood ran down her throat. The tabby blinked his smoky gray eyes as if he had been awoken from a trance. It seemed as though Smokepaw had shattered a layer of invisible glass, and the startled eyes suddenly filled with gray fire.

"You," Smoke hissed. "The cat of the prophecy."

Smokepaw let out a low growl. "Tell me why you decided to betray your Tribemates, and don't you dare try to escape."

"Or else what?" he laughed bitterly. "And I didn't betray my Tribemates - those fishbrains were never a part of my Tribe." He lowered himself into a crouch. "Though I have betrayed my own Tribe ten times over."

_What in StarClan's name is he talking about?_ Smokepaw told himself not to give it too much thought. His adversary was probably just trying to confuse him.

Smoke was fighting down panic. He had just been seen, by the new supposed cat of the prophecy no less. He had now been caught in the act of murder by two cats, and there was no way he could take down both. Correction - there was no way he could take down both before they were found. He could definately best each of them in combat. But that didn't matter, as he would never kill them before Reed and Flake found their way to the rescue. He needed to make a run for it.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stick around," he meowed, his voice infused with fake coolness and composure. "It's time I be leaving."

"Not so fast," hissed Smokepaw, taking a fighting stance. "Tell me why you tried to kill her. And why you killed these cats."

Smoke replied with a lunge at Smokepaw's left flank. The ShadowClan apprentice dodged skillfully, but didn't realize that he did exactly what Smoke wanted him to. The second he had cleared the way, the stone-eyed tabby dashed out of the den.

"Foxdung," he swore. The enemy, and thousands of answers, had just slipped through his grasp like grains of sand.

Tawny blinked, trying to clear the blur from her vision, and suddenly became aware of the blood leaking from her paw. Her vision swam in dark waters, he head spun, and before she knew it, she had fallen at her mysterious rescuer's paws. The last thing she saw was the smoky black fur of the strange cat's paws before her world went the same color.

Smokepaw nudged her gently, but she was out cold.

He had no idea what to do with her. He would never be able to drag her out of camp to the rest of the patrol without being noticed, but she definately needed an herb cat's attention. And what about the two dead cats, and the shell-shocked kit curled up at his brother's side?

He was saved from his decision, however, he wished he hadn't been, as a jet-black tom appeared in the doorway. Smokepaw relaxed at his Ice Tribe scent, concluding he must be an ally, but his relief was short-lived. The amber eyes took in the scene at paw - Smokepaw leaning over an unconscious Tawny, with the dead cats lying in the corner. The fiery eyes narrowed on his horror-struck face.

All Reed could do was splutter with a mixture of anger and confusion, unsheathing his claws. "What in Sky Tribe's name have you done?"

**I do believe I just broke my longest chapter ever record. Yay?**

**I almost considered editting out the second part, with Leaf, Willow and Wood until next chapter. This chapter was more than sufficiently long enough without it, and it would have been a significant contribution to the next one. But no, you guys deserved a super long update after the time I took. Think of this as a chapter and a half. :)**

**And so, until next time,**

**Moonstar**


	32. Escape and Capture

**And here we are, back for the next chapter. How amazingly exciting...**

**tim4106:** I feel like I've been through the update things ten thousand times, but once again, allow me to state: I have a life. Specifically I have a lot of homework, a B in chemistry (the horror), softball practice, and other things that the average teenage fanfiction writer also deals with. There really isn't an incredible amount of time to update. So...there.

**Soren Silverwolf:** sure, I won't list things here though, so I'll send you a PM. :)

**Loup D'Amour:** of course, what kind of story would it be if he did? xD And poor kit... we'll see. ;)

**Shaded-Strike: **Smokepaw: rawr. Me: he's just mad. But he's really happy that you updated. :P

**Flametail: **sorry about that. I always run my chapters through Microsoft SpellCheck, but I guess it's not picking it up. I'll _definitely_ fix it.

**MagicNo333:** it is getting rather sad, isn't it? I feel like something happy needs to happen. But of course it won't involve - (clamps mouth shut)

**Stardawn:** aww, thanks! I'd really hate to think anything I write is boring and tedious...I really try to prevent that... so thanks. :)

**dragonqueenc:** (hugs Wood) he really is huggable. And I love Dark too - it's that kind of love for a side-character thing I seem to have issues with. x.x

**Shadow of the Nights:** I really don't know what cats know... all I can do is guess. ;)

**Chapter 32**

Smokepaw looked at Reed in shock, the situation slowly dawning on him. He knew what it looked like, and all he could do was stammer a weak defense. "I... I didn't..." the ShadowClan apprentice cursed his stuttering. If Oakfur had taught him anything, it was that hesitation made a cat sound untruthful and weak.

Reed, however, was beyond logical reason. "You wildclawed piece of foxdung!" he hollered wildly, amber eyes burning with fury. "I'll kill you!"

"I didn't do it!" Smokepaw protested, leaping to the side as Reed lunged at him. The black tom skidded to a stop and whirled around to face his target.

"No one hurts my comrades and gets away with it," he growled, making another reckless lunge at Smokepaw. The tips of his claws clipped the apprentice's side, leaving him with a set of thin scrapes.

_He's lucky I'm not fighting back,_ Smokepaw thought bitterly. _In his reckless anger, he's so vulnerable..._ "Listen to me," he hissed.

Reed barred his teeth. "No," he spat. "I don't want to listen to the lies of a traitor." He threw out a claw that whizzed past Smokepaw's ear. "And to think, I thought you were on our side. Traitor!"

_I can't dodge him forever,_ Smokepaw mused. _I have to fight back._ Maybe if he pinned the jet-black tom to the ground and forced him to listen, he might see reason.

He sidestepped an attack and made a swift lunge at Reed's exposed side, slamming him hard into the wall. Smokepaw didn't wait as his winded opponent gasped for breath, quickly pouncing on him and pinning him to the ground with a claw at his throat.

The two toms were breathing heavily, Reed's breaths coming in raspy gasps. "Are you going to kill me now?" he snarled. "Like you killed those innocent kits and their mother?" His eyes were fixed on the bodies in the corner, his fur bristling in anger. "Like you tried to kill Tawny?" he added, his voice laced with venom.

"I didn't," Smokepaw repeated. "I wouldn't. It wasn't me."

"Sure." Reed laughed bitterly. "Who else would it have been? Cut the foxdung."

"I swear by StarClan - by Sky Tribe - I didn't. It was - "

"Reed!" A snowy white tom was standing in the entranceway. A pair of light amber eyes was fixed on Smokepaw in horror. "What in Sky Tribe's name are you doing?"

_Foxdung, how do I manage to do this to myself?_ Smokepaw hastily removed his claw from its position at Reed's throat and sheathed them. "I swear, I wasn't - "

"He was about to kill me, Flake!" Reed interrupted. "And look what he did to Tawny, and those kits - he's a wildclawed traitor!"

Flake's normally warm eyes narrowed dangerously. Normally the white-furred tom was hard to anger, displaying endless patience and forgiveness that frustrated some cats, but now was different. His narrowed eyes fell on Tawny, lying unconscious with blood flowing from her left paw, and suddenly Flake felt more rage than when he'd seen their leader killing Whitewater.

"How... how dare you!" he hissed. "She didn't do anything to you! _They _didn't do anything to you!" he lunged at Smokepaw, not quite as tactlessly as Reed had, but the apprentice still managed to dodge. However, as he swerved around to face Flake again, Reed hit him from the other side. He rolled away desperately to avoid being pinned down, and scampered frantically as Flake's claws flew at him.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't take two senselessly enraged fighters in a tiny den. He had to get out of there.

_No, Smokepaw,_ Oakfur's voice mewed. _You coward! A ShadowClan cat never backs down. Against any odds, you fight! And if you die, so be it, because you died with the dignity of a ShadowClan warrior!_

Then, a familiar but distant voice, _I don't always agree with everything Blackstar says. You shouldn't have to fight at all costs, and a good warrior knows when to step back, I think. _Tawnypaw. _I don't know... what do I know? I'm just an apprentice. But sometimes I think our Clan is doing the wrong thing,_ she would tell him sometimes. But no, she wasn't Tawnypaw anymore. She was Tawny_pelt_. And he didn't care about Tawnypelt.

_Then listen to __**me**__!_ hissed yet another voice. Smokepaw hissed through his nose. He felt like a maniac, with so many voices other than his own running through his head.

_Trust me, I know how that is,_ the new voice quipped.

Smokepaw groaned. _Earthbrain?_

_Earthroot, actually._

_Go away._ Smokepaw blocked an oncoming blow with one paw, then whirled around to deliver a skillful slash at Reed's face. The black tom recoiled in pain, a red streak running across his muzzle.

_I'm pretty sure that shot didn't make you any friends,_ Earthroot commented.

_Shut up. I thought you said you weren't going to talk to me ever again._

_Well, I didn't know you were going to get yourself in deep enough foxdung to get yourself killed by your __**allies**__. In which case I would need to advise you to __**run**__._

_A ShadowClan warrior never runs._

_Yeah, and that ShadowClan warrior __**dies**__, _Earthroot shot back. _Now please, get your tail out of there before we don't have a prophecy cat anymore._

_Wait, does that mean I'm the prophecy cat?  
_

_Just run!_

Smokepaw hesitated. He would have trusted StarClan if they told him to run, but that was easy enough to say; StarClan had never spoken to him. But now he was facing tough odds, fighting two hopelessly enraged cats in an enclosed space, and the warrior ancestors, whosever they were, were advising him to leave.

_Oakfur would have me sleeping outside camp in the rain for this,_ he mused, and before he could reconsider, he pushed past Flake and out of the den. Before either of the two toms could comprehend his escape, he was dashing madly for the ring of trees, too far ahead for them to pursue.

Creek felt her eyelids drooping. She didn't even remember the last time she _really _slept, but she knew it was before they'd left for Water Tribe. So much had happened over the course of just a few days, and her life had been turned upside-down. The realization that she was a murderer had come crashing down like a tidal wave and had been tearing her heart to shreds every waking minute. A murderer. She had never killed a cat in battle, but even if she had, it would have been in self defense. This was _murder._

Her green eyes fell on Whitewater's still form. She had done that. She had helped stain that snow white pelt. She felt tears rising in her throat and choked them back. She had to be strong; strong for her companions and for the rebels, who were all depending on her...

The trainee felt a soft tail rest on her back. She looked up, her eyes shining with unshed tears, into a pair of warm amber eyes.

"It's alright, Creek," Raccoon mewed quietly. "Flake, Tawny and Reed'll be back soon. And then we can talk to Water Tribe. Stay focused. We can do this."

Creek forced a grin. "Thanks," she whispered. There was Raccoon - her trainer, her friend, always at her side. She honestly had no idea what she would do without him. She brushed against him softly, feeling the warmth of his dark tabby gray fur contrasting with the freezing cold air. She wished for all the world that she could stand there forever, taking in the warmth of his pelt, and feeling _safe._

But it was not to be. The moment of false safety and peace was interrupted by a cry of horror from Raccoon's throat. Creek looked up to see Reed and Flake approaching, dragging an unconscious, bloody Tawny between them.

"Tawny!" Raccoon left her side and ran to their companions, and Creek quickly followed. "What happened?" he asked, his voice rising with each syllable.

"That wildclaw," snarled Reed. "Falling Smoke, prophecy cat my tail, he's a wildclawed piece of foxdung who doesn't even deserve to breath this damn cold air..." he shivered on cue, but from rage of the cold, Creek couldn't tell.

Flake looked flustered, even riled up, if such words could ever be used to describe the amber-eyed tom. Yet he was a great deal calmer than Reed, and was able to explain the situation with forced control. "Reed walked in on the Falling Smoke in the process of killing Tawny. He also killed two other cats, including a kit..." he paused to fight back the fury in bubbling like acid in this throat. "He tried to kill Reed, and when I got there he ran away like the coward he is."

"How... I thought he was on our side!" Creek meowed.

"Yeah, so did I," Reed hissed bitterly. "But don't worry, he assured me otherwise when he went for my neck."

"And Tawny," added Flake. "We need to get her patched up. I swear, I'll find that wildclaw and _kill _him."

Silence. Even Reed seemed taken aback. The cat who had so vehemently opposed killing Whitewater, suddenly ready to kill the Falling Smoke? "Flake..."

"Flake, go lie down," Raccoon whispered. He flicked his tail at the drift of melting snow he'd been lying in. Something about seeing Tawny injured had brought out another side of the collected tom, and it was obvious to Raccoon that he wasn't himself. He only hoped for Flake, as he did for his trainee Creek and ever cat on their patrol, that the experience didn't leave them permanently scarred inside.

"We need to hide ourselves," Raccoon meowed after a long silence. He hated having to be the level-headed one. Normally that was left to Flake or Tawny. He enjoyed playing the part of the enthusiastic young fighter and was perfectly content to follow orders of those smarter and more experienced than him, but he could see here that in the absence of the normal sane cats, someone needed to step up.

Reed nodded, and wordlessly burrowed himself into the snow. Flake silently dug himself an enclave and placed Tawny inside, effectively concealing her, then climbed in after her. Raccoon followed suit, and felt the welcome presence of Creek settling in beside him. It was obvious that they weren't ready to face Water Tribe yet, not with the tension in their group and the problems hampering them. A short rest couldn't hurt.

(fa11in8 5m0k3)

Or could it? Flake's eyes flew open as he felt a paw on his back. A started mewl came from above him, and a cat crashed headfirst into the snow. His nose was flooded with Water Tribe scent. He shot up out of the snow to find a chestnut-furred fighter lying on the ground in a tangle of limbs, having tripped over him, and facing the dawn patrol.

_Foxdung._ Before Flake could even open his mouth, their eyes fell on Whitewater's body, and their faces contorted in shock and anger. They quickly spotted Flake's companions buried beneath the snow, and moved to dig them up, and by the aura of fury surrounding them it wasn't going to be at all gentle.

"Wait!" Flake started. "Let us explain!"

The chestnut-furred she-cat he'd tripped barred her teeth and hissed at him viciously. "You killed our leader, you _wildclaw!_ And believe me, we'll make you pay!"

Raccoon and Creek were pulled out of the snow roughly by the ears, and Creek let out a squeal of surprise and pain. Raccoon glared at his trainee's attackers, but was met with red fury in their eyes. "What..." he began, but trailed off as some cat threw him to the ground.

Reed woke on his own, to the commotion of Flake arguing with an amber-eyed she-cat and Creek wailing over Raccoon's fallen form, and faced with a _very _angry dawn patrol.

_We are SO screwed._ But nonetheless, he had to try. "Listen," he growled at the arguing cats. But somehow, the jet black tom remained unnoticed. "LISTEN!" he screamed, loud enough for Stoneice to hear across the Snowlands.

Silence settled over the four dawn patrollers and his own companions. Flake gazed at him wide-eyed, as if he resisting the urge to cover his ears. The cats from the Water Tribe patrol glowered at him and looked like they wanted nothing more than to tackle the loudmouth and beat him to death, and may well have acted on that, had Reed not continued.

"Just listen to us," he breathed. "We're runaways from Ice Tribe. We wanted to join you, honestly!" he assumed the best pleading tone and widened his eyes as far as he could, which was quite the task for the fiery-tempered young fighter. "We were attacked in the middle of the night by these two cats -" he flicked his tail at Birch and Whitewater, "And we didn't know who they were! They tried to kill us, and our only choice was to fight back! We didn't mean to...we never wanted to..." he sniffed back fake tears and buried his face in his paws.

"And look what they did to our Tawny!" Flake mourned, picking up on Reed's act. He gingerly pulled Tawny from the snow, exposing her mangled bloody forepaw. The green hue his face took on in disgust was no act. "It wasn't enough for them just to attack her," he choked out. "They _twisted_ her paw so cruelly!"

Two of the four pairs of eyes softened and Reed and Flake's antics, but two more remained hard as stone. "Why should we believe you?" demanded the amber-eyed she-cat Flake had tripped.

"For all we know, you're just trying to infiltrate our Tribe," snarled another she-cat, her pine green eyes flaring. "And you _killed _our leader!"

_Flake and Reed stink at the sad and cuteness act,_ Creek mused, and took the initiative enter the charade. She padded slowly up to the four Water Tribe cats and knelt down, her eyes shining with genuine tears. "Please, please don't kill us," she sobbed. "We... we only wanted to help the Snowlands by running away... we didn't mean this... we'll leave, I swear, we'll leave your Tribe, but please don't kill us." She looked up at them with round green eyes, and looked for all the world like a terrified new trainee.

The four cats exchanged glances. A pair of ice blue eyes was still fixed on Whitewater and Birch, his black pelt and dark brown stripe on his back bearing an uncanny resemblance to Smoke's second victim. Raccoon's heart sank - the last thing they needed was a relative getting teary on them and ruining the whole act.

"We'll take you back to camp," the pine-eyed she-cat hissed grudgingly. "But we can't guarantee anything."

"But Pine!" the black-furred tom wailed, and unable to control himself any longer, he ran over to Birch and buried his nose in the cold pelt. "They killed my cousin," he whispered, his light blue eyes glittering with tears. "And our leader! We can't let them live."

"Remember your place, Crystal," meowed Pine coldly. "This is a matter for the Tribe to decide. Aspen, you and your trainee watch the those two toms. Nettle and I will watch this one and the she-cat." She flicked her tail at Raccoon and Creek, who looked like she wanted to shout, _we do have names, you know!_ But the trainee kept her mouth shut.

"What about Tawny?" Flake demanded. "Our friend is wounded, and we can't just leave her here!"

"Carry her then," snapped Pine. "We will not devote our attention to her and allow you to escape."

"We're not trying to escape, fishbrain!" Reed snarled heatedly. "We just -" He was silenced by a steely glare from Flake.

"Thank you," Flake meowed, with notable sarcasm and venom dripping into his tone. "Reed, we can deal with their demands. We're on their territory, after all. I'll carry Tawny." He knelt down and gently picked up the injured trainee by the scruff. Aspen closed her eyes and hesitated before picking up the body of her leader, and the blue-eyed trainee was left to carry his cousin.

Flake, anger and act forgotten, almost snapped at the image. Not snapped, as in sniped at the Water Tribe patrol, but snap as in break, as in his mind splitting into unrepairable shards. The world shouldn't be like this. Cats shouldn't be dying like this. Cats shouldn't be _living_ like this. It was almost too much.

He thought of Dark, the rebel leader, always strong and always guiding them. Flake was pretty sure that _Dark_ would never snap at this scene. Flake had to stay strong, for his companions and for Tawny, as well as for their leader, because Dark was counting on them to succeed. Those dark blue eyes had seen much worse things than what Flake was seeing now, and he was still the unbreakable leader of the forbidden peace movement.

_Strong. Stay strong. It could be worse._

Reed ignored Pine's piercing gaze and just kept walking, focusing on simply placing one paw in front of the other. Once in awhile he glanced backwards at Tawny, hanging limply in Flake's jaws. He couldn't help but remember when the last rebel died, caught by Stoneice. Tawny couldn't end up like her. Couldn't. She'd make it. But Reed couldn't help but remember the night they'd lost one of their cats, and could almost see the images playing in Flake's eyes as well.

It had been his own trainer. In one more moon he was going to become a fighter, and his trainer was supposed to be there with him. She had recruited him to the cause at the age of six moons, the day he'd become a trainee, and he had eagerly agreed, not understanding what it entailed. Not that he would have changed a thing; he didn't regret his life's path or the dream he strived for, only the trials that accompanied it and the darkness it left behind in his heart. Losing Silver, his trusted trainer, had given every rebel an electric shock, and it had been the event that had turned young Reed and Flake into fighters.

They couldn't lose Tawny. She had to be alright. That paw looked awful, but it would be okay. He had to focus his mind on something else... so slowly and carefully, Reed began to build their speech to Water Tribe in his mind.

**Ok, for some reason I feel like I have a lot of things to say this chapter. So, for starters, let's switch off the bold. :)**

I don't know why, but I didn't really like this chapter. It just... didn't flow as well as normal for me. Except for Earthroot, of course; he always makes things happier. xD Hope it wasn't apparent to anyone else... I don't know. I'm working towards a certain point and having some trouble getting there... but it's coming, and it'll all work out. We're getting there. :P

And, about Crystal (Aspen's trainee): don't know why, I've just always want to give a tom a she-cat name or vice versa. It amuses me in a strange way. I mean, it's not as if the cats know which names are feminine or masculine, it _just so happens_ that the she-cats (in the books) get names beginning with Leaf, Squirrel, Holly, Poppy, etc., and the toms get Lion, Black, Dust, Tiger, etc. And it's not like Crystal's a main character or anything, just a cute little tom-kitty with pretty eyes... so, there. (breaths) Just thought you might like to know.

On Aspen and Pine: they each made appearances in earlier chapters, Aspen as early as chapter 3, if I'm correct. She was Willow's trainer and Cypress's (cat from the nest... far back, huh) sister. Pine is just a random she-cat, but she was back in chapter 7-ish too. Trying not to introduce too many completely new cats... though, speaking of new cats; in reading Warriors fanfics and other genres, I've developed a bit of dislike for OC's (original characters) unless they're really well written. Which I know is kind of hypocritical, seeming as this story revolves around them. It's just a lot of OC's are badly written or are too perfect, which bugs me and makes me afraid of them... so now I'm going to try super hard to stop my cats from being that way. xD

Wow, that was a lot. I hope you didn't actually read all that. It was probably a waste of your time. :) Well, till next chapter,

Moonstar


	33. Swivel

**Hey y'all! Buckle your seatbelts, because we're back, and this chapter is **_**intense**_**. Packed with -gasp!- moments. Be warned, and be excited. xP**

**Stardawn:** In my head, Silver's death is a little side-story without much significance, but I do want to tell it at some point... just not yet. ;)

**Shaded-Strike:** poor Smokepaw, he's so cute... and I know, Crystal's funny. Love 'im. Maybe I'll try and give him a couple extra lines. xD

**Soren-silverwolf:** thanks! I love blueberries, I'm actually eating them right now...

**Loup D'Amour:** I'm loving all the Smokepaw-love... sends hugs from everyone to Smokepaw

**dragonqueenc:** I know, so do I, but without it... it wouldn't be a good story. :)

**Sunstar Iceclaw: **ouyay areyay uckylay Iyay peaksay igpay atinlay... xP

**Shadow of the Nights:** know what you mean about sleep deprivation. (shoves aside history notes) Exam study procrasination? Me? Never. --falls asleep at midnight on chemistry textbook--

**Chapter 33**

Dark bowed his head in front of Stoneice. "They escaped, your leadership."

"Escaped? _Escaped?_ How could they have escaped? I had _you _in charge of the killers..."

"Those two young fighters, Sand and Oak, they hesitated, your leadership," Dark reported. "That is how they were able to escape." He failed to mention his role in distracting the two young fighters, not to mention the many others attempting to kill the prisoners. What he didn't know didn't hurt him.

"They will be punished," Stoneice seethed. "Bring them here." Dark nodded curtly, and spun around to leave, when another cat came crashing into the den.

"Stoneice, your leadership! We caught one!" the young cat exclaimed excitedly.

"One? Only _one?_ You should have caught them _all!" _The Ice Tribe leader swung a furious paw at the young cat, who screamed as his leader's claw made contact right between his ears. He squealed as Stoneice made another swipe at him, tumbling out of the way and dashing out of the den.

Dark raised an eyebrow. "Was that necessary?"

Stoneice snorted, sheathing his claws. "You never think anything is necessary," he snarled. "Sometimes I wonder if you're not soft-hearted."

"Never, your leadership," Dark replied in a low, menacing growl. "In fact, it would be my honor to go and dispose of the cat they've caught." He sank into a fighter's crouch in anticipation.

"No, question him first," Stoneice ordered. "_Then_ kill him. Bring me the body."

Dark nodded, slinking slowly out of the den, and as he did so, back into a sane frame of mind. There was something about Stoneice's company in that shadowed den that put an element of realism into his act. As in, he really didn't have to try as hard to play the part of the evil helper. That Stoneice was a _creepy _cat.

And now, he had to think of a way to wriggle Frost out of this one. There was no way to avoid the young herb cat's death without giving himself up.

The dark-furred tom snarled to himself. His position in the Tribe was important, but not worth the cost of a life.

**xox**

Reed had no idea how it happened, but before he knew it he was standing on a fallen tree in the center of Water Tribe camp, facing countless pairs of angry eyes and unsheathed claws and the knowledge that he might not live to see the sun set.

He didn't know what imaginary general consensus made him the new leader of the patrol - or, as Raccoon and phrased it, "Who died and made you evil killer tabby?" At first, Reed had thought the younger fighter seemed resentful, but he'd caught the mischievous glint in those green eyes, and suddenly realized that Raccoon was simply trying to lighten the atmosphere with a wisp of his former self. But the amiable cat with a friendly sense of humor, eager to please and full of energy, was gone. His tactic wasn't working; the old Raccoon was gone, lost in his naive trainee days, and the new Raccoon seemed moons older, more serious, more serene. And Reed knew that he himself had changed, that Flake had changed, that Tawny and Creek had changed, and try as Raccoon might, none of them would ever be the same.

But their lost spirits didn't change the fact that now the black tom stood before Water Tribe, hungry for his blood, yet awaiting his speech in deadly silence.

Fear had never stopped him before, and it certainly wouldn't stop him now. He felt four pairs of eyes anxiously resting on him, burning into his pelt behind him, and it was all the encouragement he needed. He took a deep breath, and let the perilous words tumble from his lips.

"Cats of Water Tribe." The statement was met with hostile hisses and growls. "I speak to you today in great sorrow, yet it great need." Flake truly had an amazing mind. Reed half wondered if he should be that cat up here right now; after all, he had composed the fancy wording of the speech. But no, he had already started. "We truly regret the circumstances in which your leader, Whitewater died - "

"You killed her!" someone shouted, and the interruption was met with fiery yowls of agreement and death threats. Aspen and Crystal stepped forward to meet cats who were angrily inching towards Reed, and eventually they gave up and slunk back into the crowd.

Flake grabbed Raccoon's scruff as the gray tabby moved to leap to Reed's aid. "Stay quiet," he whispered. "Reed can handle this."

Reed fought down his own temper, and stood in silence as the yowls faded slightly and Aspen and Crystal sank back to their haunches. "Whitewater was a great leader," he continued above the noise, "And we honestly didn't mean to kill her, because doing so would have been against everything we fight for. You see, cats of Water Tribe, the four of us - myself, Flake, Raccoon, Tawny and Creek, have pledged our lives to a single cause: peace in the Snowlands."

"Wildclawed liar!" another cat yowled, and again the speaker was supported with furious cries. But Reed could see the conflict in a few pairs of eyes. Clearly they weren't the only cats who dreamed of peace, and maybe, just maybe, their message would hit home for some.

"The four of us ran away from home in hopes of recruiting supporters here in Water Tribe. We hoped that maybe a nobler Tribe than our own could help overthrow Stoneice and his tyrannical rule, and help us in our life's goal." Snorts of disbelief mingled with gasps of surprise and whispers of hope, though Reed couldn't distinguish one from another.

It was time. Now came the moment that would change their lives forever; that would change the lives of every cat in the Snowlands and that would change the lives of their kits, and their kits' kits. Reed inhaled, exhaled, and then shouted Flake's rally cry.

"What say you, Water Tribe? Will you join us in our fight for peace?" In his mind's fantasy, this was where cheers erupted and cries of support echoed from the Water Tribe ranks, but he knew better. The stunned silence was to be expected. So he continued, "Join us! Come with us to overthrow Ice Tribe! If we go together, as one, there would be no stopping us!"

He poured his heart and soul into his words, hoping for all the world it would have _some_ effect on the hostile cats. He was met with a prolonged silence, which stretched into the air and invaded his thoughts. He could see some cats bristling in anger, others brimming with home. Then he saw Pine stand up to speak, and all eyes turned on her. She opened her muzzle, but it was not her voice that rang out over the Tribe.

"Stop that cat!"

The booming voice came from behind the crowd. They turned as one, and the four Ice Tribe patrollers clambered up onto the log beside Reed to find the source of the voice.

And there, standing at the edge of camp, with unmistakable fierce yellow eyes, was Mud.

- ¥ ¥ ¥ -

Wood was getting nervous about his return to Water Tribe. Vivid memories of being chased out like a wild animal still haunted him, and he couldn't help but wonder if they wouldn't remember as well. Leaf guiltily reminded him that she was the reason he'd been banished, and said with more confidence than she felt that if she was with him and explained it was all a misunderstanding, then everything would be alright.

"They've probably already forgotten anyways," Leaf went on, beginning to ramble nervously. She knew, as did he, that she was speaking more to comfort herself than him.

"It's alright. We've got allies there," Wood tried, forcing a reassuring smile. "Dark's patrol will help us, right?"

"Right," Leaf agreed, with obviously forced confidence.

The sun rose up into the sky, lighting the white-blue ceiling with soft bright stripes. The beauty was lost on Leaf and Wood as they trekked numbly towards Water Tribe, their shadows stretching far out behind them. And if they thought their shadows were long, the day would be _much _longer.

τTτ

"No!" Creek was the first to respond, but he cry was quickly muffled by Raccoon.

And then, finally, Pine spoke, though not with the verdict she'd planned to give. "Mud," she greeted coolly, striding through the crowd to him, which parted to let her through. Her pine-green eyes hardened. "Where, might I ask, have you been the last four days?"

Murmurs of agreement and disproval could be heard from the cats of Water Tribe, and Reed couldn't help but feel like he and his barrier-shattering speech had been completely forgotten.

On the other paw, the cogs in Flake's mind were spinning rapidly. Mud - he remembered the name as one of the higher ranking cats in Water Tribe, an unofficial right-paw to Whitewater of sorts. He seemed a likely cat to take over in her death, but it appeared he'd been missing for, what had Pine said, four days? Where could a cat go for four days in the Snowlands? Unless... his breath hitched. _No..._

"Tracking the Shaded Talons," Mud replied without missing a beat. "I had a hunch he might return, and I found him, but unfortunately lost him again." A well disguised lie, but Flake saw right through it. He knew that he hadn't been chasing Smokepaw, and there was only one reason to lie about his whereabouts; Mud was a traitor. Fitting, it seemed, that the most trusted cats of both leaders were secretly going behind their backs.

Mud was still talking, Flake realized, and snapped his ears to attention. "...and I return to find these wildclaws, these pathetic pieces of foxdung, ranting about fake and fickle lies of peace invented to save their worthless lives? I sincerely hoped no one believed any of their tales." He paused to let his words sink in, and then yowled fiercely, "Put them to death!"

Shouts of approval echoed from the crowd as they turned to face the five Ice Tribe cats. Tawny, still feeling dazed and only half there, buried her face in Flake's pelt. Raccoon and Creek fought to restrain each other. Reed was biting his lip. And suddenly, calm, collected, level-headed Flake couldn't take it anymore.

"Traitor!" he burst out. All eyes fell on him. "Mud, you lying, sniveling traitor! Does no one question where he's _really _been for four days? "Tracking" the Shaded Talons? _Really_. I can't believe your nerve, to run away from your Tribe to talk with a tyrant like _Stoneice_, then come back and pretend to play hero? Well you don't fool _me._"

The Tribe erupted into arguments, hisses and threats of conflict and confusion. "He's lying!" yowled Mud above the uproar. "I would never turn my back on my Tribe! Who should you believe, a low-life Ice Tribe liar or me, your loyal Tribemate?"

"Me, your loyal Tribemate." The chaos died as all eyes swiveled again to the edge of camp, where two new figures stood outlined against the trees.

"Wood," Tawny whispered.

"You!" shouted Pine. "The wildclaw who tried to kill his fellow trainee! How _dare _you return here?"

"It was an accident!" Leaf emerged behind him, her bright green eyes glowing in bold defiance. "Wood is my _friend_ now! And he's loyal to Water Tribe!"

"Leaf!" an old ginger she-cat broke forth from the crowd and rushed up to the young trainee. "Leaf, you're alive! You were captured, we thought you were dead - "

"Silence, Ginger," hissed Pine. She turned her hard gaze on Leaf. "You had something to say, trainee?" he voice was cold, piercing Leaf's skin, but she spoke anyhow, her clear voice captivating every cat present.

"Wood and I were indeed captured by Ice Tribe. And while we were there, we saw Mud, dealing with Stoneice. He _is_ a traitor!" The chaos returned, with angered yowls engulfing the camp.

"How could you believe them? _They're _the traitorous wildclaws!" Mud retorted furiously.

Amidst the fighting and anger, claws were becoming unsheathed the first swipes were thrown. Reed realized it was time to take a stand and steal back the show. His eyes met Flake's, and his companion nodded. Reed rose up onto his hind legs, and shouted for all he was worth. "All for peace and the Snowlands! Rally behind us!" He dropped back down to all fours and waited expectantly on the log as some cats made their way towards him.

_We have support. We have supporters._ He glowed inside. _One, three, six... seven! More than we could have hoped for!_

As the peace-minded cats rallied to Reed, Mud took his stand. "To kill those worthless traitors and all who oppose Water Tribe! Come to me!" Masses of cats moved towards the mangled brown tom as well. Reed swallowed the lump in his throat in the realization that it might come to a fight.

Creek felt the presence of many cats surrounding her, and it filled her with a new sense of courage. She felt Crystal brush past her on the right, and spotted Aspen off to the side. She saw Pine hesitate, and then move towards Mud. She gulped. Despite her new courage, she didn't know if she had the guts to fight.

"No! We can't fight each other!" Wood had joined Reed on the log, and his voice rang out over the assembled cats. "We have to use our combined strength on Ice Tribe! And once they're defeated, _then _we can decide who's a true Water Tribe warrior."

"Peace-dreaming liar!" someone spat out, but Wood's words were having an effect on some of Mud's followers.

And then Pine chose to speak. She didn't need the elevation of the log; she was simply a cat whom everyone respected, one who had been in serious consideration to take over as leader, and her cold yet strong voice took hold of each and every cat. "The brat is right. If there ever was a time to put our all into Ice Tribe, it would be now. Before they tap the power of the Shaded Talons -" the mention of the prophecy stirred hushed whispers of conflict and new considerations. "And before the Talons give them too much strength and confidence." Her eyes locked with Reed's, clearly reading _you and your friends __**owe **__me big,_ though he couldn't comprehend why she would side with them. Before he could give it thought, Pine was continuing with her final line. "Cats of Water Tribe - the time is _now!"_

Yowls of fury-filled support, filled with bloodlust and excitement, echoed Pine's statement. Water Tribe had made up their minds. Or, more like Pine had made up her mind, but it was good enough for Wood. He plastered a tired grin on his face, and turned to share it with his allies.

"Nice going," a snow-white tom told Wood warmly over the commotion as he and Reed stepped town. "I don't think we met... I'm Flake. This is Raccoon." He flicked his tail at the gray tabby, who nodded his greeting. "This is Creek." The calico she-cat inclined her head. "And over there, that's -"

"Tawny," Wood completed. The name rolled lightly off his tongue, natural as a flowing stream. The she-cat was standing a few tail-lengths away, watching him from a distance. Their eyes met, bright amber against sparkling green, for a fleeting second, and then they each looked away in embarrassment.

Tawny's eartips heated and she felt a blush crawling beneath her skin. He'd seen her. He'd seen her staring. How... _awkward_, for lack of a better word. She quickly turned her focus away by attempting to put weight on her bloody, twisted foot. The electric jolt of pain that shot up her paw was enough of a distraction, and a fierce reminder of her injury.

Speaking of injury, she could see Leaf leading Wood off in the direction of the herb den as all of Water Tribe, with the exception of a couple queens and elders, flew out of camp on their new mission. And she realized, perhaps with a greater jolt than that of her own pain, that Wood was injured as well. Crimson dripped from what looked like a shallow yet bloody cut across his shoulder. She took a step in their direction, but then stopped herself. _They'll catch up. It's not like anything can hold him back. And I'm needed in the fight. My place isn't with him..._

"I hope you weren't thinking of fighting," mewed a soft voice behind her, snapping her out of her reverie. She turned, feeling her neck crack, to see Flake, gazing at her sympathetically.

"You're in no state to fight," he continued. "And... no one wants to lose you." She saw the worry in his warm amber eyes, and he saw the ferocity in hers. She wanted to fight. She was determined to follow through with her cause and the fight for peace, and if there was a final battle, she wanted to be there for it.

"You can still be useful without fighting," Flake mewed hurriedly. "Those kits... that we saw in the den..." he trailed off, and paused. "You can help them."

_The kits!_ They were still there, all alone, and one of them might still be alive... _Wood. I have to tell Wood._

"Thanks, Flake," she called over her shoulder, already sprinting away.

Flake looked after her in confusion. _Didn't think it'd be that easy. Go figure._ And with that, he turned to follow Reed, Raccoon and Creek, who were already sprinting at the back of the Water Tribe pack.

Flake wasn't sure who he wanted to win. Water Tribe, Ice Tribe, it didn't matter... everything was so muddled and disturbed, like dust in a pool of water. He tried to tell himself everything would be fine, as long a claw found its way across Stoneice's throat and maybe Mud's as well, and then maybe Dark would have a chance at convincing whoever was left.

_Maybe._

_I hope._

--

**Hope this chapter didn't move to quickly for anyone, and that everyone caught everything. Yep, fast paced. I likey.**

**And sorry for the lack of Smokepaw. Really. He'll be around next chapter though, don't worry. And he might meet up with another cat who ran off... (gasp) but enough spoiler-ness for now. xD**

**And, yes Pine, _the time is now_. I really couldn't resist there. (coughobamasupportercough) Yes we can. :)**

**And so till next time,**

**Moonstar**


	34. To Fight and Defend

**Summer rocks my socks. Anyone else excited? And the good thing for you all is, I failed to find a job/camp, sooooo here you have a bored author with no life and nothing better to do than write. xD**

**Shaded-Strike:** the lack of Smokepaw IS depressing. Don't worry, he's back... honestly, you think I could go more than a full chapter without him? :P

**dragonqueenc:** aww, I know! It's so fun to write them...

**Loup D'Amour:** go kit go! Die Smoke die! You've got it... xP

**Stardawn:** --feels like I'm writing a super cool movie-- yay for popcorn!

**Rockclaw:** yes, last chapter had lack of Smokepaw, but don't worry, he'll be back. And yes, he still has friends. I think.

**Black Wolf Jaganshi Lover:** Wow, it'd be incredibly difficult to kill Frost. I don't know. Might happen, might not. His fate hasn't been decided yet... --feels powerful--

**Mourning Wolf:** isn't he though? ;)

**Reminder:**_**italics**_** means either flashback or dream. Both are important in this chapter.**

-

**OMAKE**

Crystal snorted as he listened to Reed talk. "This is a bunch of foxdung," he grumbled to no one in particular.

"You mean... you think he's... lying?" stammered Nettle, the new trainee by his side.

Crystal rolled his ice-blue eyes. "I don't _know_. And really, I don't care. I just hope..." he trailed off.

"Hope... what?" Nettle prompted shyly.

"That you leave me alone," Crystal sniped.

"Hey she-cats, be quiet!" hissed Cypress.

Crystal's wide blue eyes narrowed. "_What _did you just say?"

"Shut _up! _I'm trying to hear what the Ice Tribe moron is saying!" Cypress snapped. With a sigh, he turned to the cat sitting next to him. "She-cats," he muttered.

The other cat nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean. Those she-cat trainees, they never stop talking..."

"I'M NOT A SHE-CAT!" Crystal yowled, and sprang at Cypress, only to be pinned down by Aspen. Nettle moved after him, but felt a tail rest on her shoulder.

"Leave her," whispered her sister, Fern. Her brother, Yew, sat calmly beside her. "She's just easily angered."

"But... but..." Nettle trailed off, a blush creeping over her muzzle.

Fern gave her a confused look. "Nettle... not that there'd be anything wrong, but... are you in love with a she-cat?"

"NO! Crystal is a _tom!"_ Nettle cried.

An understanding dawned on Fern. "Ohh," she meowed. "So _that's_ why she - he - turned Yew down..."

Yew and Nettle both turned brilliant shades of pink beneath their fur as Crystal continued to attempt to tear Cypress to shreads.

-

_omake - the Japanese word for extra or bonus, generally referring to outtakes and extra scenes in anime. I couldn't think of a better word to describe the extra scene... but maybe I've been reading too much manga. :) I felt like I needed to throw it in. Anyways, now for the real chapter..._

_-_

**Chapter 34**

Smoke wandered aimlessly around in the wilderness, gazing at the blank white landscape ahead of him. What was he to do now? He supposed he could always go back and fight with Dark and the rebels; after all, despite the patrol's wariness, they hadn't _seen _any evidence to prove him a traitor. And there was always a chance that when they won, Dark would allow him to lead Water Tribe. Smokewater. He liked the way it sounded.

Smokepaw, on the other paw, was wandering with equally little aim, but with much less hope. He had nowhere to go - Stoneice was suspicious, if not completely wanting to kill him, and Water Tribe thought he was the Shaded Talons. He might be able to wander around in the snow until he either froze or starved to death, but that didn't seem too appealing. Maybe he could find the cliff he fell from and try to climb back up, and search for the Clans. He had nothing to lose; if he died, he died, and he'd have nothing to worry about - if he lived and found the Clans, he'd be happy.

Smoke was upwind of the downtrodden ShadowClan apprentice, and scented him easily. His eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed. _That cat _was the Shaded Talons Ice Tribe had so excitedly whispered about, the cat Water Tribe had assumed to be the Falling Smoke. His rival.

_Falling smoke will shatter the ice and shaded talons will splash into water, and only one will remain._

The prophecy, to Smoke, was clear enough; only one of them could live. And now, while the Talons couldn't see or scent him and was lost in his own dark thoughts, was the perfect time to take him out.

-

Oakfur would have combing the elders' fur for ticks for moons, had he seen his carelessness. He was so busy wallowing in cynical depression - dubbed "Blackstar-itus" by Talonpaw, that he didn't even slightly sense Smoke until the tabby was upon him.

His eyes shot wide open in surprise as a cat latched himself onto his back, tearing at his fur. Smokepaw reared back with a cry, flinging his attacker off him, and turned to face his mysterious assaulter.

"_You,_" he spat, venom leaking from his lips. "You murdering, conniving, evil traitor!" He threw a wild claw at his opponent, who dodged easily and returned the favor, and was blocked by Smokepaw's paw. "You _framed _me!" the apprentice accused.

"I did what I had to do to survive," Smoke snarled. "You should learn that lesson." He raked a claw across Smokepaw's side, not quiet deep enough to draw blood, but enough to send the smoky tom reeling backwards. "But it seems too late for you."

"I'll _kill_ you!" Smokepaw yowled. "You _ruined_ my life!" He dove at the tabby, who sidestepped, but Smokepaw was ready. He also slipping to the side and charged right into the steel-eyed tom, crashing on top of him to the ground.

"A little dramatic, aren't you?" Smoke panted, twisting and rolling in an attempt to escape from underneath his adversary.

"But not dead," Smokepaw countered. "You should learn that lesson." He raised a claw for the final blow. "But it seems too late for you."

Smoke let him bring down his claw in its fatal motion, and at the last second jerked to the side, slashing with both front claws at Smokepaw's underbelly. The ShadowClan apprentice staggered backwards, yowling in pain as his blood leaking onto the snow and his opponent scampered to his paws.

"You should know better than to mock me," hissed Smoke, his dark eyes burning.

Smokepaw coughed then raised his eyes, blazing with yellow fire. "That was dirty," he choked out.

"At the risk of sounding annoyingly repetitive like you... I do what it takes to survive." He advanced a step. "And, knowing this, will you fight me?"

"Well, what do you expect me to do, kneel down and give up?" Smokepaw snarled sarcastically, and made a move at Smoke.

The brown tabby met his opponent head on, taking a claw to the ear and delivering a sheathed blow to the chest. Smokepaw felt the wind rush from his lungs but continued onward, blocking Smoke's voice out of his mind.

"I was sort of hoping you would," Smoke taunted. "But you know, I like it better this way. I'll feel much more victorious when I kill you in the end."

"In your dreams," spat Smokepaw, swiping at his face. The tabby ducked and made a low dive at his smoke-furred challenger. Smokepaw jumped to the side and bounced back, hoping to pin Smoke down, but the brown tabby rolled to the side and shot back up to his feet.

The two toms circled each other tenuously. "You have no idea what I dream of," growled Smoke.

"I'm familiar with nightmares," Smokepaw countered. "At the risk of sounding repetitive like you - a little dramatic, aren't you?"

"Are you _trying _to make me angry?" Smoke snarled hotly.

Smokepaw smirked confidently. "Yes, actually."

"You _deserve_ to die." Smoke lunged across the invisible circle at Smokepaw, who lunged right back. They clashed in the center, and time stopped -

And then, the glass shattered. Both toms landed opposite each other, but one collapsed to the ground, blood leaking from his shoulder.

"You should know better than to mock me," panted Smokepaw, eyeing his weakened enemy with satisfaction. The gash was deep and bloody, but the gray eyes still flared despite the injury.

He staggered to his paws, swaying slightly. "You've really made me mad," he spat. "And I _will_ kill you." And with that, for the second time that day, Smoke turned and ran.

"Bloody traitor!" Smokepaw yowled and took off after him, but the tabby had already disappeared into the snowdrifts. _Curse him for knowing the territory better than me. Stupid, stupid apprentice, why did I not explore and learn my way?_ Smoke obviously knew where all the hiding places were, and Smokepaw obviously didn't.

_But I'll still find him. And I'll still kill him._ Pause. _Because that's all I have left._

ฃ ฃ ฃ

_The sky was black. Frost could feel the ground beneath him, but when he looked down, it wasn't there. It was a dream. It had to be a dream. But that knowledge didn't stop him from continuing, walking aimlessly, until up ahead he saw a tree._

_It was a tall, proud willow tree, healthy and strong, with pale leaves shining despite lack of sunlight. In fact, the willow tree absolutely glowed, a beacon of light in the blank black wasteland. The young herb cat felt a sudden urge to climb the tree, to see what awaited him at the top. He leapt onto the tree and allowed his sharp, nimble claws to spring him from branch to branch. He practically flew to the top, and settled himself on a sturdy upper branch, and tipped his head to enjoy the light breeze._

_The wind ruffled his fur softly, and with it came words. Frost strained his ears to hear the words the wind carried, but the syllables evaded him, dancing away on the drift. And then, finally, he caught it -"_I'm coming_."_

I'm coming? What does _that _mean? _Frost wondered. _Earthroot? Hello? A little help here?

_He clawed in frustration at his tree branch, watching as splinters of willow tumbled to the ground below. And it hit him - _

"Wake up!"

Frost rocketed upright, nearly ramming straight into Dark and the wall of the prison den. "He's coming," he whispered.

Dark's deep blue eyes remained impassive. "Who's coming?"

"Willow," he replied. "He's coming for me." He shook his head. "Idiot."

"You should be grateful to have such loyal friends and comrades," Dark advised. "I think your friend coming may make things a little easier."

Frost cocked his head. "I'm not going to die?"

"No." Dark's voice and eyes never wavered. "You've been placed in my care, and I planned to escape tonight -"

"You were going to give up your position for _me?_" Frost asked incredulously. "I knew Ice Tribe cats were dense, but _really_. Do you really think _my _life is more important than our goal?"

"It's noble to have that mindset," Dark noted. "But the answer is yes. How could we just leave you here to die? It's not in our nature."

"Fishbrain," Frost snarled. "I saved Wood so he could help achieve his goal, not so he could watch it slip through his paws."

"It hasn't caught up with you yet," Dark stated. When Frost gave him a look of confusion, he continued, "Though you sound like you're ready to sacrifice yourself, the idea of your death has not caught up with you. Your mind still wants to believe that there's a chance to escape, a chance to live. Either that, or you're just being stubborn. Either way, when someone comes to kill you, I don't think you'll be as eager."

Frost lowered his eyes, an unspoken victory to Dark. "Our time is coming anyhow," Dark meowed softly. "I was going to turn on Stoneice soon -"

"There's no other way?" Frost asked, his voice barely audible. "You can't let Willow rescue me, and blame it on another cat?"

"Unfortunately, no," meowed Dark. "Stoneice has entrusted me and me alone with the task of questioning and killing you. If you managed to 'escape', Stoneice would be furious, and might accuse me of treachery anyway. It's better that I run with you." He paused. "When is your friend getting here? We should stop him before he enters camp and gets himself killed."

"Soon," Frost whispered. "By sunhigh. Though I doubt that even he's stupid enough to enter camp in broad daylight. He'll probably wait till tonight."

"We'll still need to leave as soon as possible," mewed Dark. "We have to have confidence in my patrol and in Leaf and Wood, and hope that everything's gone well in Water Tribe. If they aren't already on the way back with a fighting force, then they will be soon, and we can meet them."

"Wait," meowed Frost, who'd stopped listening after 'as soon as possible'. "You want to escape in broad daylight? And I'd thought even Willow wasn't that dumb."

"Would you rather wait until tonight and miss him?" Dark snapped. Frost didn't reply, another point to Dark. "In fact, I think it's best that we leave... now."

x x x

_Reed looked up at his trainer with wide amber eyes. "Dark's taking on a trainee?"_

_The silvery-furred she-cat nodded confirmation. "I don't think he wanted one. He wanted to devote all his attention to the cause once Raccoon became a fighter -"_

_"And he's afraid the newbie won't be like us," Reed completed. His trainer nodded. "But he's not worried about Raccoon's new trainee! Why not?"_

_She sighed. "Raccoon could easily avoid a hostile trainee, and Dark couldn't, not the way he's involved in our cause. Sometimes I worry about him - he tries too hard, and one day he's going to be caught."_

_"Don't say that, Silver!" Reed cried. "Please, don't even think about it -"_

_"Grow up, Reed," she snapped. "This is reality. Things happen, even bad things, and one of us could die at any time -"_

_"So, before you die like you think you will, why don't you just tell him?"_

_Silver froze. "Tell who what?"_

_Reed rolled his eyes. "He loves you too, he's just afraid to tell you. And he's afraid for you. Afraid that if he lets you love him and lets himself love you back, that he'll endanger you."_

_"Fishbrain! Doesn't he know I can fend for myself?"_

_"I don't know." Reed smirked. "You might have to tell him yourself."_

_She gave her trainee a sideways look that looked like a cross between a glare and a snicker. "I know what you're playing at," she meowed. Pause. "But you bet I will." _

x x x

_Dark felt a familiar presence settle down beside him. "A mousetail for your thoughts?"_

_The dark-furred tom sighed. "Not now, Leopard."_

_The tortoiseshell didn't budge. "If you're worried about the trainee, don't be. I checked into her. She's a shy little kit who doesn't even like playfighting with the others. If she's not peace-minded, I don't know who is."_

_Dark didn't respond._

_"Unless something else is on your mind?" Leopard prompted. She still received no response, which was probably her cue to go away, but she ignored it. "Dark, Silver -"_

_"No."_

_"What?"_

_"I know what you're going to say. And the answer is no," he meowed coldly, and pointedly turned away from her._

_"You don't think she can take care of herself?" Leopard demanded. "Really, Dark. She's my sister. Resilience runs in the family."_

_"I -"_

_"She's strong willed and has a strong spirit. You can't be worried about -"_

_"No! You don't understand, Leopard. Every day I'm walking on such a thin line, any day Stoneice could find out and kill me, and if she was... close to me... he would kill her too..."_

_"Never before have you wavered," meowed Leopard sagely. "You are always so firm in the face of danger, and yet, when it comes to her, you falter -"_falter_."_

_"I don't_

_"Everyone knows, Dark. Even Flake pointed it out."_

_"You're trainee's observant."_

_"Reed noticed too. I can only imagine what he's been telling his trainer."_

_Dark groaned. "Trainees," he mused._

_Leopard ignored his attempt to change the subject. "Dark... if you really think you could die any day, then don't you want to savor every last minute you have with her?"_

_"Very insightful," Dark meowed emotionlessly._

_"Don't pull the impassive attitude on me," snapped Leopard. "And don't try twisted logic either. She loves you. You love her. But you're afraid to accept it. The only thing you fear in your life could be the worst. You need to get past it..."_

x x x

_"Someone has betrayed me!" yowled Stoneice. "Duskroot has sensed it - the Falling Smoke escaped by aid of a traitor!"_

_Murmurs echoed throughout the camp. The gray-furred leader glared at everyone with burning intensity, then turned wildly on his right paw cat. "You were in charge of his guard!" he growled. "Have you, of all cats, betrayed me?"_

_"Your leadership, I would never -"_

_"You lie!" spat Stoneice. "No other cat could have -"_

_"I did." Stoneice whirled around to see a silver-furred she-cat standing firmly in opposition. "I planned secretly to help the Falling Smoke escape. And I worked alone."_

_"Did you now." Stoneice sprang at her and pinned her to the ground with lightning quickness. "Is this the truth?"_

_Silver, lying on the icy floor beneath the most powerful grip in the Snowlands, looked up at him with determined defiance, a flame burning in her fierce emerald eyes. "It is."_

_Dark stepped forward, prepared to take on Stoneice right then and there, but his eyes locked with those of his fellow fighter. And in those emerald pools lay a silent plea, praying for him to leave it to her, telling him it was her choice..._

It hasn't caught up with her,_ he thought. _She thinks she's being noble, but she doesn't realize she's going to die!

_He moved to spring, but Leopard flashed to his side and placed a single paw in front of him. "Trust her," she whispered. "If you truly love her, then trust her..."_

_And so, against his own judgment, the dark-furred fighter did. And he watched in nerve-wracking silence, still as a stone, as Silver spoke with amazing strength and defiance for a cat captive of Stoneice and facing inevitable death. _

_"I fight for peace," she hissed. "I fight for my cause, because that's the kind of cat I am. It's my nature. I don't leave cats to die, I don't kill for no reason, and I want to _help. _I dream of a better world, a better place for kits to grow up, and that means fighting for peace. I swore to -" _Dark. "_-myself that I would achieve this goal, or die trying."_

_Stoneice laughed bitterly. "And so you will. Pathetic." He sank his teeth into her throat. The silver-furred she-cat didn't even scream, only twitched briefly in vain protest, before she went still._

No!_ Dark cried inside, and was now truly prepared to tear Stoneice's throat out, but Leopard fastened her teeth to his scruff. "Let me kill him!" Dark cried. _

_"No!" Leopard replied, with tears prickling and stinging her eyes. "She didn't die to have you ruin everything we've fought for! She wanted you to go on! You can't just give up!"_

_"Dark!" yowled Stoneice. The muscular tom whirled around, using every drop of his willpower to extinguish the grief that tore his features. To appear impassive, the ever-emotionless assistant. "Dark, my _loyal_ fighter... remove the body." The leader turned his glare on the assembled cats. "Get out of my sight!" _

_Cats scampered everywhere, not needing to be told twice. No one wanted to be in Stoneice's path or that of his right-paw cat at a time like this. The Falling Smoke had escaped alive because of the traitor, and although she was dead, they were both likely to be irritable, the cats figured._

_Leopard strode forward and placed her muzzle on her sister's flank. She whispered her last goodbye, crying into the silver fur, and then stood up and left. She knew that although Silver was her sister, this was Dark's place._

_The clearing in the center of camp was now empty as Leopard disappeared into her den. Dark sat down beside the she-cat, refusing to let himself cry._

Why?

_Suddenly, she coughed. Dark's eyes snapped to attention, focusing on her with futile hopes. If she was alive, he could get Duskroot's trainee Adder to heal her, and hide her away with the Falling Smoke in the cave..._

_But Silver only lived for a stolen moment. "Dark..."_

_"Silver!" he placed a gentle paw over her muzzle. "Save your breath. I'll fetch Adder..."_

_She ignored him. "Dark, don't stop fighting. I didn't sacrifice myself so you would lose yourself..."_

_"Silver, my position wasn't worth the cost of a life. Your life."_

_She laughed weakly. "He would have... killed you. And... there would have been no one... to lead us. They need you... more than me."_

_"I would have fought him!" Dark protested. "You think I can't beat him?"_

_She coughed out blood before replying, looking Dark right in his deep blue eyes. "Maybe alone, but... many cats would have sided with him. You can't... fight a whole Tribe. You would have been... killed, and... the others would have come out in your support... you _all _would have been killed or banished. And then... there would never... be peace. It... was better this way."_

_"Silver, please, you're not making sense. You don't know it would've turned out that way... why'd you have to... you didn't need to... you just had to be a hero." The tears were hard to hold back now, and Dark felt one escape and roll down his muzzle._

_She smiled weakly. "Wouldn't have it any other way." Her eyes were hazing over, the emerald lights dulling to a paler green. "Dark... stay strong... keep fighting... and _win._ For me." She paused, and for a moment Dark thought that she was lost, but she continued... "I love you."_

_And then Dark lost it. The tears tumbled forth and tremors wracked his frame. "I love you too," he whispered. "I'm so sorry..." A look of peace settled on Silver's features; and then she was truly gone._

_It was the first, last, and only time Dark of Ice Tribe ever cried. After burying her body outside camp, he buried his sorrow in the back of his mind. Silver wouldn't die in vain, he promised. He would stay strong, firm as ever, and he would_ _bring peace. They_ _would bring peace._

* * *

It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.

- Barack Obama

* * *

**(sniffles) Aww c'mon, I had to put the spotlight on Dark for a bit. He's been wanting it. And Smokepaw. SMOKEPAW! I LOVE YOU! (huggles) **

**Coming soon: Smokepaw vs. Smoke. Mud vs. Rebels. Ice vs. Water. The battles of a lifetime... **

**Moonstar**


	35. Rising Storm

**I'm updating quite quickly, huh? Or not. **

**Shaded-Strike:** Crystal's adorable. Love him. And yay for you, you updated!

**Soren Silverwolf:** yes, it was sad, if not a tad corny (I felt the corny-ness when I re-read it) but hey, makes you think of Dark a bit differently... (hugs)

**Lakeshadow:** realistic? Wow. Never woulda thought that... but you made me happy. :)

**Rockclaw:** you bet. And here it comes.

**Goldfrost-Tangleshadow's Love: **aww, thanks! Here it is!

**jarrtail:** I was kind of meaning to do a mini-flashback on that... but decided to do Silver instead... since you mentioned it, I decided to put it into this chapter. ;)

**Gethernia:** thankies! :D

**Twitchtail13:** sorry for the obviousness. I do have a couple random things planned, but I doubt they effect the overall planned outcome that much. As Shadow has pointed out, obviousness is something I need to work on and change in future stories, but there's not much I can do with this one anymore...

**Seiferclaw:** thanks! :)

**Ravynna Nightshade:** and yes, you are the 500th reviewer! --cheers and dances in circles-- you get... hmm... a limited addition Smokepaw plushie that growls when you squeeze his paw. Very squishable, though he hates being hugged. That's Smokepaw for you, I suppose.

**Chapter 35**

There was no one outside. Frost looked around warily, prepared for someone to jump out of their den at any time. Dark's brisk pace was still too slow for him; he wanted to break into an all out run until he was thousands of foxlengths away from Ice Tribe camp.

After what seemed like an eternity, they cleared the two rocks at the entrance of camp. The young herb cat let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His guide, meanwhile, remained as impassive as ever.

"You can go back now," Frost meowed coldly. "If you go back now, they may not have noticed you gone."

"Yes, but they'll notice _you _gone," Dark meowed bluntly. "And _I_ was on guard duty." Frost grunted in reply. "I think I smell your friend," the dark-furred tom continued. "He didn't mask his scent too well."

"That's Willow for you," Frost snorted. Soon enough, Willow emerged from a snowdrift, and nearly leapt out of his fur at the sight of the cat he was supposed to rescue free right in front of him.

The pale-furred trainee staggered backwards and, with a yowl of surprise, tripped over a block of ice, tumbling backwards and finishing gracefully with a mouthful of snow. Frost, despite the situation, couldn't help but give a restrained laugh.

"Some things never change," he murmured fondly. "Fishbrain."

Willow righted himself hurriedly. "Who're you calling fishbrain, careless idiot? You got yourself captured!" And then he noticed the grin playing on his friend's lips - a _grin_, on _Frost_, and realized that he was joking. _Joking_. Some things may never change, but then, many things do.

"Well you're in a good mood," Willow remarked. "So now that you're uh... rescued..."

"We need to go back to Water Tribe," Dark inserted. Willow nearly fell backwards again; he'd barely even noticed Dark's presence, silent as he'd been.

"Y-yeah, back to Water Tribe," Willow agreed, nodding his head vigorously.

"You _are_ allowed to disagree with me, you know," Dark informed him, but the dark-furred tom was already trotting away. _So much for disagreeing,_ Willow thought, as he and Frost scrambled to catch up.

.ֲֲֲ.

"Wood!" Tawny limped into the herb den as Leaf finished cobwebbing his shoulder.

Wood felt heat spreading across his face. "Uh... hi Tawny..."

But Tawny was in no mood to converse. Desperation lingered in her tone and ran wild in her eyes. "Wood, the kits! Your sister's kits!"

"What happened?" Leaf asked in alarm.

"They were attacked!" she cried, tears beading in her eyes.

"By whom? Why? When?" the questions tumbled forth from Wood's lips, but Tawny could not reply. Her paws crumbled beneath her and she fainted, and Wood was barely able to catch her before she hit the ground.

He set her down softly. "Leaf, take Tawny back to the group," he meowed coldly. "I have to find Amber and the kits."

Leaf nodded numbly and picked up Tawny by the scruff, watching as Wood dashed away.

The dusty-brown furred tom sprinted to his sisters den, his paws carrying him across the familiar path, filled with confusion and fear. Who would attack his sister's kits? Why? He burst into the den, and the first thing he saw was his sister's body lying in the corner.

"Amber!" he yowled, years of disagreement and dislike forgotten as he rushed to her side, vainly feeling for a pulse. "Amber, Amber!" He buried his face in her bloody fur. _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I wasn't here, I didn't help you, I'm sorry for being so mean about your mate, sorry for yelling at you, sorry for losing Smoke, sorry, so sorry... _He may have cried there for ages, spluttering empty apologies, had he not been interrupted.

"'Scuse me," came a weak voice. Wood whirled around to see a small kit lying on the ground in the corner. One wide yellow-brown eye gazed at him curiously, but his right eye was swollen shut and caked with blood. Half of his right ear was torn from his head, and he had a nasty gash running down the side of his face.

"W-what happened to you?" Wood gasped, running over to the kit. He immediately began licking the side of the small brown and black kit's face, feeling disgust overwhelm him. "Who did this to you?"

The kit coughed weakly. "I - I dunno." He let out a choked sob. "He... hurt Rowan... Bracken ran 'way... an' then... my eyes..." he broke down into tears, leaning against Wood's shaking frame.

Wood's eyes fell on the limp body the kit was leaned against, and the horror nearly choked him. Besides the kit appearing to be his doppelganger, it was covered in blood, and eerily cold and still. Someone had murdered him, murdered Amber, and tried to kill the others.

"Where's... Berry, did you say?" Wood asked slowly, trying to appear calm for the poor kit's sake.

The kit sniffed. "Bracken," he murmured. "She ran 'way... dunno where she is..."

"I'll find her," Wood meowed with as much comfort as he could muster for the mutilated kit. He ran outside the den and tasted the air. A faint scent led him off in the direction of another den, and sure enough, he found a tortoiseshell and white kit curled up in the brush.

"Bracken?" he whispered. A small head poked out.

"Go away!" she cried. "Leave me alone!"

"Shh! I'm not going to hurt you!" Wood promised. "I'm your... uncle." The word sounded unfamiliar on his lips, true though it was. "I'm here to help..."

The kit slowly, cautiously emerged from her hiding place. "W-where's mama? And Rowan an' Owl?"

Wood took a deep breath, his heart welling with sorrow and sympathy for the scared, tiny kit. "Come with me," he meowed quietly. "We need to go get your brother..." he guessed that Owl was the living kit, judging by the light color of his eyes. That made little Rowan, his look-alike, the dead kit. Wood shuddered. "Rowan and your mother have joined the ranks of Sky Tribe," he told the shaking kit as they walked. "Sky Tribe needed more warriors, and wanted only the best, so they took them."

"Then why didn't they take me and Owl too?" Bracken whined.

Wood held back a flow of tears. "I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know..."

They reached the den, where little Owl was waiting expectantly. Wood made Bracken wait outside; the horrors within were way beyond her moons. Beyond his own, as well, but it was too late for that. With the half-blind half-deaf kit and his terrified sister in tow, Wood made his way after Leaf and Tawny.

»»»

_A shadow stood on the edge of her vision. She squinted to see him better, and the dark figure stepped forward from the mist. His yellow eyes glowed in the shadows, his soft smoky fur swaying ever so slightly in the breeze._

_He looked at her and looked away, his eyes filled with unidentified emotion. She took a step towards him, but he took a step back._

_"What's wrong?" she asked softly. "You don't need to be afraid of me."_

_"No." He continued stepping backwards. "I... I can't let you..."_

_Her green eyes glowed with compassion. "I won't hurt you," she promised._

_She didn't know what, but something she said triggered his inner rage. "How can I believe that?" he snarled angrily. "If the she-cat trusted with my life would abandon me, you could too!"_

_"No, I won't!" she yowled, overcome with an urge to comfort the distressed cat. "I want to help you!" But he was already stepping back into the mist, his yellow eyes averted. _

_"I want _you_," she mewed, so softly she couldn't tell if he'd heard. "Smokepaw..."_

"Leaf!"

Leaf jerked upright. "W-what?"

Raccoon was grinning at her playfully. "You were daydreaming. I swear, it seemed like you were in another world or something."

"What were you dreaming about?" Creek asked shyly.

Leaf blushed, feeling the heat rise to her ears. "Uhh... Smokepaw was in it..." she looked to Wood for support, who was trailing a bit behind with two mysterious kits in tow, but his attention was focused on them.

"Smokepaw?" the furious question came from beside them. Leaf, Raccoon and Creek turned simultaneously to see Reed, amber eyes glowing with anger.

"Y-yeah, Smokepaw," Leaf stammered in confusion. "The Shaded Talons, Falling Smoke, whatever... he was helping us, and..." she glanced at Creek and Raccoon, but both of them were stone-faced. "And I have no idea where he is. Didn't he leave for Water Tribe before us?"

Raccoon swiped angrily at the ground, eyes burning in anger, and Creek's jaw set with a vicious fire in her eyes. Reed himself looked deadly furious, as if he wanted to kill someone. "He got to Water Tribe alright," he spat. "He got to Water Tribe and killed innocent kits and their mother! _And _he tried to kill Tawny! _He's _the reason she's having so much trouble walking! We're just lucky she's not dead!" He cast a sympathetic gaze at Tawny, who was leaning on Flake and limping painfully along.

Leaf opened her mouth to stammer a defense, that Smokepaw would never, that she'd seen his kindness. But suddenly Wood appeared at her side, bristling with anger rivaling all of theirs combined. "_Smokepaw_ did that?"

Reed nodded vehemently. "I walked in on him in the process. I'm lucky Flake got there, or he might have killed me too."

_Smokepaw?_ Wood had never felt so betrayed. The strange cat he'd saved from the owl's nest, a cat he'd thought he understood, a cat he'd thought of fondly enough to call a _friend_, had murdered his sister, attempted to murder her kits, and brutally injured Tawny. _Tawny_. He'd hurt the cats closest to him, as if he were aiming for his heart.

_Why? Did you go crazy, Smokepaw? Was this an attack on _me_? Then why didn't you just come out and face me like a fighter?! Why would you kill _them?Cries wracked his frame, and the dusty-brown trainee felt the impulse to go bury himself in the snow and never come out. His best friend had betrayed him. He almost understood how Smoke felt all those moons ago. _So betrayed..._

He wanted to vow to kill Smokepaw, he really did, but deep down he knew he didn't have it in him; but he couldn't just avoid and ignore the cat who had taken so much from him and ruined the lives of innocent cats. So he promised himself that if - no, when - he met the smoke-furred tom again, he'd blind him like he'd blinded Owl, deaden his paw like he'd deadened Tawny's, sock him in the jaw and then leave him alone in the snow. Alone, like he deserved.

oOo

Smokepaw was lost in his thoughts, which was definitely _not _a good thing. Smokepaw's thoughts were quite scary, often derogatory, hammered others, and absolutely shelled himself. So when Smokepaw had too much time to think, sometimes his mind would... _slightly_ derail.

_I don't even want to know what Blackstar would have done to me. Letting an enemy escape, and a rival no less! It would have been like setting a ThunderClan warrior free in battle. I could have been banished from ShadowClan! Oakfur would never train me again, at least not until he gave me a decent beating, and Russetfur would vow never to let me become a warrior, and Rowanclaw and Cedarheart would sit there laughing at me with those damn smug grins like they've never done anything wrong in their lives and like they were leaders of the forest, and they would laugh and jeer and make sure to let me know how worthless I am. _

_And Tawnypelt... Tawnypelt would let her eyes fall on me and I wouldn't be able to read her expression, to see if she was sympathetic or angry, but she would never let me know, because she'd look away and then run along after Rowanclaw. That's how I lost Tawnypaw, for being such a coward, for being a stupid warrior, for being unable to track a cat when there aren't even any trees to scamper up or any brush to hide in. Stupid, stupid..._

_And I can't even make up a decent story. It's all my fault we're in this situation to begin with, I was the one who screwed up the meeting with Whitewater, the one who ruined Wood's life, and dragged a whole bunch of trainees and young fighters into this... my fault, my fault, stupid, stupid..._ his thoughts trailed off and he kicked the ground angrily.

He had to find and kill Smoke, because it was all he had left. Ifhe never killed him, he would wander around in the snow forever with no purpose. Once Smoke was dead, then he would be free to get himself killed trying to find the Clans.

But where would Smoke be? The answer hit him like a mole falling from a tree. There would be a battle, a huge battle, bigger than anything the Clans had ever seen, and he'd bet that Smoke wouldn't miss it for the world... so neither would he.

.ֲֳֳֳ.

Stoneice was meeting with Duskroot in the shadows of his den. The brown and gray furred herb cat gazed at him with narrow yellow-green eyes as he spoke.

"Sky Tribe have not come to me," he meowed in a low growl. "They've told me nothing concerning the Water Tribe prisoners or the situation with Mud and Talon in Water Tribe."

"They haven't spoken to your trainee?" Stoneice demanded.

Duskroot's eyes narrowed further into dangerous yellow-green slits. "Her time has not come yet. Are you suggesting that I am unworthy of Sky Tribe?"

"Well if they refuse to speak to you, then yes," Stoneice mewed coldly.

Duskroot unsheathed his claws, and Stoneice prepared himself to kill his own herb cat should he advance. But he never knew what Duskroot would have done, for at that moment Sand came crashing through the door.

"Your Leadership!" she panted. "Stoneice, the prisoner! He's escaped!"

"Escaped?" Stoneice roared. "_Escaped?"_

Sand subconsciously stepped backwards, away from the blazing figure of her leader. "Y-yes, your Leadership," she stammered.

Stoneice moved forward, quick as lightning, and grabbed the young fighter by the scruff. Sand cried out, but Stoneice's harsh voice quieted her.

"Where's Dark?" he snarled venomously.

Sand quivered in his grasp, and her voice shook. "He - he is n-nowhere t-to be f-found, your L-lead - " Stoneice cut her off by throwing her to the ground. Her head hit the icy floor, and the last thing she saw were a set of four large gray paws before her world went black.

But Stoneice was unconcerned with his young fighter. The Ice Tribe leader was many things - murderous, uncaring, even evil - but stupid was not one of them. The conclusion from the reported turn of events was not hard to draw. He had assigned his right paw cat to be the prisoner's guard, but his most trusted fighter had betrayed him.

He turned to Duskroot with murder blazing in his fierce yellow eyes. "Order the Tribe to find _Dark._" He spat the name out like a foul-tasting pray. "Find him and bring to me _alive."_

"With all due respect," Duskroot growled calmly, "I assume that the traitor and the Water Tribe trainee have run back to Water Tribe. Perhaps, with Talon and Mud there, now is the time to mount an attack."

Stoneice's eyes glowed with the prospect of the enemy's defeat. "Right you are. Summon all the fighters. We will attack Water Tribe now! And I'll kill Dark in battle, in a display of my power. Come, Duskroot. It is time to end this once and for all."

ಹ ಹ ಹ

_Adder had never padded amongst the ranks of Sky Tribe before, but she knew exactly where she was. Her green eyes widened in awe. Now she was truly an herb cat; Sky Tribe had chosen to speak to her! She thought of Duskroot's trainer, Mossroot, whom the herb cat had mentioned a few times in their studies. But the cat that appeared out of the mist and separated himself from the blurry, shimmering ranks didn't have the pale brown fur Duskroot had described, nor was he female. She wondered if this brown and black tom was an ancient herb cat of Ice Tribe, and her pelt tingled with excitement._

_"Nope, wrong," the cat mewed suddenly, jerking her out of her thoughts._

_"What?"_

_"I'm not an herb cat of Ice Tribe, and I'm certainly not ancient. I'd like to think I'm not _that _old -"_

_"You're not from Ice Tribe?" Adder interrupted._

_"Nope. Water Tribe."_

_Adder paused. "Then why are you talking to me?"_

_"Because all the dead herb cats of your own Tribe are evil, deadly, cruel, savage, or otherwise uncooperative," the Sky Tribe cat meowed matter-of-factly. "And you, dear, have proven yourself to be a cat of pure-heart." The last sentence was meowed gently, and she felt herself glow inside._

_"Th-thank you," she stammered._

_"For that reason, Sky Tribe has decided to aid you through me," the cat continued calmly. "My name is Earthroot of Water Tribe."_

_"Nice to meet you, Earthroot," Adder meowed politely._

_"And you as well. But now is not the time for introductions. I have something to show you."_

_Adder's eyes lit up. "To show _me?_"_

_"No."_

_"Wait - what?"_

_Earthroot sighed. "It's called sarcasm."_

_Adder frowned in confusion at the strange cat's sudden change of moods, but she followed him anyways into the mist. She stepped into the mist, thick enough to claw, and suddenly found herself staring into a pool of crystal clear water._

_"Falling smoke will shatter the ice and shaded talons will splash into water, and only one will survive," Earthroot meowed from her side._

_"Duskroot told me that prophecy," Adder told him. "I already know it."_

_"Really? You do?"_

_"Um, yeah..."_

_"You really need to work your sarcasm skills," Earthroot mused. "Use your brain. There's a _reason _we're telling it to you again. Think about it."_

_Adder thought about it. She really did. But she came up with nothing. "I have absolutely no idea what you mean," she grumbled._

_Earthroot gazed at her calmly. "Well... maybe it's because it'll be important in the near future. I'll leave you with that." He started to shimmer out of sight._

_"Wait!" Adder called. "I still don't get it!" But Earthroot was already gone._

_It'll be important in the near future._..

Adder woke with a start, panting and covered in sweat. She heard Stoneice's voice outside the den, bellowing, "Ice Tribe! The time is now! We will defeat Water Tribe once and for all!"

Yowls of agreement came from the assembled fighters. Adder swallowed. They were going to attack Water Tribe? But what about the patrol? It was inevitable, they were going to clash, and it would be a fight to the death...

Adder sprang to her paws and darted out of the den. There was a storm coming, and she needed to be there for it. There was a reason, after all, that Earthroot had come to speak to her.

_It'll be important in the near future..._

_--_

**Indeed, there is a storm coming. Let's hope our favorite cats brought windbreakers and raincoats. (And that the cats we don't like didn't...)**

**Also, if anyone remembers the soundtrack from awhile back? Still taking song suggestions. I'd love to make a soundtrack for this story, for fun, and there are plenty of songs that seem to apply :) When it's done, I'll make it.**

**And on that note, (insert musical notes)**

**Moonstar**


	36. Collide

**And here we are, back again. Ready for anything. Or are we?**

**Pinefur of DragonClan:** good thing you have a raincoat... --looks up at tattered umbrella-- I think I'm screwed...

**Loup D'Amour:** poor Wood indeed. --huggles--

**Rockclaw:** --hides behind rock to avoid giving stuff away--

**Iceleaf:** I want enchilada! xP And sorry about your confusion. Smoke is Wood's brother, he was captured by Ice Tribe when he was little, and now he's back and evil. That pretty much sums him up. And the author's note was just a weird metaphor... don't worry about it. :)

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire:** yay, you're back! Cliffhangers are _fuuuun_... --ducks under volley of tomatoes--

**Soren-silverwolf:** Unfortunately the only ones who know about Smoke and Smokepaw are the two of them, and Tawny. But Tawny's not exactly up to talking... how is everyone gonna find out? x.x Run Smokepaw run!

**Lakeshadow:** Cliffies, as we mentioned before, are _fuuuuuuuuuun_. Great fun. ;)

**Shadow of the Nights:** I love Earthroot, I really do, and you're right... trying not to over do it, but hey, he wants the spotlight. --grabs flashlight from Earthroot--

**Cinnamonpool:** aww, thankies!

**Chapter 36**

Smokepaw noticed the large group of cats from a distance. As he got closer he was able to identify a few of the cats as Water Tribe, and groaned loudly. More enemies.

Actually, he wasn't sure who _wasn't _an enemy. Ice Tribe? No, Stoneice had probably figured him out. Water Tribe thought he was the Shaded Talons. Dark's patrol thought he'd tried to kill Tawny. Who was left?

A ginger she-cat danced on the edge of his vision. That's it - his original allies! Leaf, Willow, and Frost still might believe him. And Wood. His best and only friend, the one cat in the world with an open mind and generous heart, would believe him. Not only would Wood believe him, but he'd comfort him, tell him everything was alright, and help him catch Smoke. Because Wood was Wood like that.

And then his wildest dreams came true. Lagging at the back of the pack were Wood and Leaf, and two much smaller cats that Smokepaw took to be kits. He felt a strange emotion overtake him - _Leaf and Wood had KITS?!_ Breathing hard, the logical part of his mind told him that wasn't rational, that Leaf hadn't been pregnant, and that even if she had been the kits wouldn't be able to walk yet at this stage in their lives. Calming down a bit, he continued his approach.

He knew he had to come at them from behind, taking great care to make sure no one else noticed him, or else he'd be torn to shreds. If he could fall in step and quiet them before one of them (most likely Leaf) screamed, then he'd be able to speak with them. Simple as that.

.

Leaf, for the first time in a while, felt uneasy walking beside Wood. The hyperactive tom had become her friend, and she'd thought that any awkwardness that existed between them had been dispelled. But apparently this was not so. Wood was dragging his paws along, a haunted look settling over his normally bright eyes, and with each moment he grew increasingly paranoid and protective of the two kits.

She attributed the melancholy to his sister's death and the death of one of her kits, but she couldn't place the deeply troubled aura that hung about him like a heavy rain cloud. She'd never seen anything like it within a ten mile radius of Wood; normally he was a glittering ball of energy, the polar opposite of depressed. But now he was the polar opposite of Wood.

They walked in silence. Leaf wanted to place a tail on his shoulder, to let him know she was there, but there seemed to be a bubble around her friend that forbid her from stepping across the line. So they continued to walk in the eerie silence.

"Leaf."

The voice was a mere whisper on the edge of her hearing. At first she thought she was just hearing things that didn't exist, but she heard the voice again.

"Leaf."

She whirled around, and saw a black tom trailing them a few foxlengths back. She was upwind of him, so she hadn't scented him. She narrowed her eyes, and realized with a jolt it was Smokepaw.

Smokepaw, the stubborn cat with a concealed heart of kindness? Or Smokepaw the murderer who'd killed Wood's family? Leaf wasn't sure. She glanced over at Wood, but he was lost in his own little world, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the ground and occasionally at the kits by his side.

Leaf was well aware that she could be making a fatal decision, but something inside her spurred her on. She slowed her pace and let Wood walk ahead obliviously, and allowed the dangerous smoky-gray tom to catch up and walk beside her.

"Leaf -"

"Was it you?" she asked quietly, unable to control her desire to know. Smokepaw tilted his head in question. "Who killed the kits. And Wood's sister. Was it you?"

Smokepaw's eyes hardened. "No. It wasn't," he growled. He could see Leaf exhale, becoming visibly less tense.

"I knew it wasn't," she whispered. "Not even when Reed said -"

"Reed spoke to you?" Smokepaw's yellow eyes widened in alarm, but only for a split second before he fought it away and replaced it with a stoic mask.

"Yeah," Leaf replied. "Wood didn't take it well -"

"He told Wood?" Smokepaw's heart sank. His best friend thought that _he _was the source of his misery. But no, Wood wouldn't believe it. Would he?

"Yeah," meowed Leaf. "And he's been in this depressed mood ever since he found the kits -"

"Look, that's one of the cats from the den with us!" Little Owl was pointing a claw at Smokepaw from up ahead. Not an accusing paw, as if the little kit was just stating a fact, but Wood whirled around with murder in his eyes.

"_You_," he snarled. His claws were unsheathed in a heartbeat, and before Smokepaw could blink, his best friend was on top of him.

"Wood, stop!" Smokepaw cried, wrestling violently in his friend's mad grip. "It wasn't -"

"How could you do that to innocent kits?" he demanded with tears in his eyes. "To their mother? To my sister?" He tore at Smokepaw's face, barely missing his eye as he left a gash mirroring Owl's. "To Tawny?"

Smokepaw rolled to the side and out from under Wood's paws. The area around his eye burned, and he blinked away the blood threatening to drip in. "Wood, listen to me!"

"No!" Wood yowled, again lunging at Smokepaw. Reluctant to fight, Smokepaw stepped to the side instead of meeting him head on. "Why?" he cried. "Was it an attack on _me?_"

Smokepaw paused. "It _was _an attack on you, but -"

"Why would you attack me?" Wood hollered as he swiped wildly at Smokepaw. Smokepaw stepped backwards, and took another step backwards, until he was walking backwards away from the flurry of claws. "What did I ever do to you?"

"It wasn't _me!_" Smokepaw cried desperately. It hurt to see his friend in this much pain, and in hurt even worse that he thought this pain was caused by him.

Wood may have listened to Smokepaw's words, he may not have, but their fight had drawn attention. Reed, Raccoon and Creek were suddenly at Wood's side, all glaring daggers at the ShadowClan apprentice.

"Liar," Reed spat. "I _saw_ you. And now we'll kill you!"

Smokepaw knew he was hopelessly outnumbered, and also weighed down by Wood's accusations. He'd never known that a single cat could have such an effect on his heart; maybe it was better back in ShadowClan, when he hadn't had any friends. Except Tawnypaw. But then, she was the same as Wood, causing him nothing by sadness and heartache in the end.

And so, for the second time that day, Smokepaw chose to turn and run. Only this time he did it with no shame, because he couldn't possibly feel shame. All he felt was the choking guilt and sorrow.

He saw Leaf out of the corner of his eye, her bright green eyes blazing, and he could see the anguish written on her face. She was calling to him, then calling to Wood, then calling to Reed, but no one was listening, and eventually she sank to the ice in defeat. Smokepaw turned and disappeared into a snowdrift.

_A true ShadowClan warrior does not wallow in his grief_. He had to set it aside, and focus on the goal.

Kill Smoke.

-Ŧ Ŧ Ŧ-

"They won't believe me," growled Dark, his intense blue eyes fixed on the Tribe approaching in the distance. "I'll hide, and you two go to your Tribe. Tell them that Ice Tribe is probably coming after you, and that the best thing to do is to meet them right here, right now."

"But we don't know what state Water Tribe is in," Frost protested. "For all we know, Mud defeated Smokepaw and the patrol, and is in control of the Tribe."

"Leaf and Wood went back," Willow put in quietly.

Frost glared at him. "So? Just because they went back doesn't mean everything is alright. There's such thing as an unhappy ending, fishbrain. For all we know, they could be dead."

Willow's fur bristled. "How could you -"

"Enough." Dark stepped between the two trainees. "Frost is right, but so is Willow. I suggest you have faith in your companions." He turned away.

"Wait. Where will you be?" Frost demanded.

"Hiding," Dark replied shortly. The herb trainee blinked, and the Ice Tribe fighter was gone.

The cats of Water Tribe in the distance were beginning to take shape. Frost and Willow exchanged uncertain glances, and came to a silent mutual understanding. They could do this, together. The same way they united what seemed like moons ago, back when they were just ordinary trainees with ordinary lives, to save Smokepaw and Wood from Ice Tribe. It was simple; just go to Water Tribe, and bring on the battle of the ages. Simple as a mouse in the open.

Willow matched Frost's brisk pace step for step. A flicker of doubt occurred to him; what if they weren't the right cats for this? They were too young, too unknowledgeable, too inexperienced. Surely it would be better for Dark to talk to and advise Water Tribe? He looked to his companion for reassurance, and found it, a burning fire within the ice blue eyes. Frost gave him a nod, a short, curt nod, but a nod that was filled with determination and confidence. And the two of them turned as one to face the oncoming Tribe, with Pine and Mud at the helm.

Pine was the first to react. "Willow? Frost?" She trotted up to them, scrutinizing the two trainees under her piercing gaze. "What happened to you?" she demanded once she was sure it was truly them.

But before they could reply - the fabricated story was on the tip of Frost's tongue - Leaf came bounding out from the crowd of cats.

"Willow! Frost!" the ran up to them and nuzzled them both, earning a fond lick in reply from Willow and a step away from Frost, who scrunched his face into an expression of mock-disapproval.

"Don't nuzzle me, you're not my mother," Frost snipped.

"Leaf!" Willow chirped. "What happened? Is everything alright?"

"I thought you guys might be dead! I'm so happy -"

"Hate to break up this wonderful reunion," Mud interrupted, his voice laced with a seemingly permanent discontent. "But you all have some explaining to do."

Frost's eyes narrowed, visible only to Mud. The mottled brown tom knew very well where they'd been, and was hoping that the trainees would shy away at that knowledge. He didn't expect the herb trainee to figure out that he would never admit to knowing, because admitting to knowing their whereabouts would be admitting to have been in Ice Tribe. The circle of thought made Frost's head spin, but he figured it out all the same.

"We were all captured by Ice Tribe," he meowed firmly, leaving the listeners from Water Tribe without a doubt to their tale. "Me, Leaf, Willow, Wood... and Yellowroot." He heard murmured gasps from the Tribe.

"What do they want with our herb cats?"

"What did they do with Yellowroot?"

"Where is she?"

"Is she alright?"

Willow saw Frost's eyes cloud as he faltered - the scene played back in his mind, the bloody gray pelt disappearing into the frozen depths of the Freezepool - and the pale-furred trainee took charge. "They killed her," he meowed with all the sadness he could muster. Growls of outrage erupted within the Tribe as he continued, "They did it right in front of poor Frost; he hasn't gotten over it, the pain of seeing his beloved trainer and our wonderful herb cat killed..." He saw Frost shoot him a glare, but behind that glare was a hint of gratefulness, so Willow continued.

"We were captured but we escaped, with the help of some allies within Ice Tribe, whom you have met." He inclined his muzzle to Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek and Tawny, who had made their way to the front of the group. "However, me and Frost were captured in our escape. But thanks to Duskroot's trainee, another friend, we were able to escape again." He specifically let Adder take the credit for Frost's escape. If Dark still wished to remain hidden, then hidden he would remain.

"We must avenge Yellowroot!" someone yowled, and was met with a chorus of approval.

"Death to Ice Tribe!"

"The time is now!"

Amidst the yowls, Pine made her way towards the two trainees and laid her tail on each of their shoulders. "Welcome back," she meowed, and Willow couldn't tell whether it was with warmth or freezing cold. Mud looked on with a fire burning in his vengeful yellow eyes as Pine turned back to the Tribe.

"We've been united with two young trainees we thought were lost. And now, with their help, we must continue on to Ice Tribe, to destroy Ice Tribe and avenge Yellowroot. Water Tribe, come!"

Battle cries echoed throughout the Tribe, and they began to sprint in the direction of Ice Tribe camp. Leaf, Willow and Frost found themselves caught up in the tidal wave of cats, and they struggled with all their strength to keep up and avoid being trampled.

And suddenly Wood was beside them, sheltering the kits from the rush of cats. The three of them turned to him as cats ran around them. The four trainees, the cats of Water Tribe who had united to fight war in the Snowlands, stood together again, with two new arrivals and a young cat who wasn't himself.

"Wood..." Leaf whispered.

"We have to protect them," Wood meowed firmly, shielding the two kits with a forepaw.

"Amber's kits?" asked Frost. Wood nodded numbly. Frost looked to Willow, and their eyes met; they didn't want to know.

Willow walked over to his friend, a cat whom he'd thought he had so much in common; two pranksters, whose eyes always shone and who held their heads high. But Wood's eyes were dull and sad, his head and tail sinking between his legs.

"Wood." Wood looked up at him with tears in his eyes. "Wood, listen to me. You have to be strong now, for us, and for the kits. We have a battle to fight, a battle for peace - isn't peace what you've always wanted?"

"Leave the kits here," Leaf added. "Tawny will take care of them." The tawny-furred trainee was making her way towards them, limping badly, trying to shift her weight onto her good paw. "She can't fight anyway, so she'll look after the kits."

Tawny crawled up beside Leaf. "I'll take care of the kits," she offered.

Leaf smiled. "See, just as we suggested. Come on, Wood. We need you."

Wood paused. "It's just... what if Smokepaw... comes back for them..."

Leaf's eyes darkened. "It wasn't him!" she yowled, with anger and passion burned into her voice. "You think it was him, but it wasn't! He told me!"

"He lied!" Wood cried.

"No, he didn't." Tawny pushed her way through, into their circle, to stand beside Wood. "Smokepaw isn't the cat who hurt us." She saw Wood's eyes widen with such confusion, such hurt, such pain, and felt herself ache inside. "It was your brother, Wood. It was Smoke."

Wood was stunned. His paws weakened and failed him, and he slumped to the ground. His brother, alive? Alive, and after him. After him to kill him, to kill his family, and who knew who else? But he was alive...

"Wood..."

"It's my fault," he choked. "All my fault. I failed him... I didn't save him when I could have... and now he hates me, he hates us all, because no one ever came to rescue him. We never tried. Whitewater insisted that if he was truly the Falling Smoke, he could save himself. And so I thought he was dead... and now he hates me, and he killed them..." he sobbed into his paws. "And Smokepaw... Smokepaw hates me now too... why didn't I believe him? Now he probably hates himself, he's going to leave, and I'll never see him again... and Smoke..."

"Wood... I..." Leaf stepped forward and brushed him in an attempt to comfort him, but he was oblivious. Willow extended a paw, but he was ignored. Wood buried his anguished face in his paws.

"Wood!" Of call the cats he'd expected to offer comfort, Frost was the last, but here the ice-eyed trainee was, staring him down. "Get a hold of yourself! You're brave and strong!" Wood looked up at him with dilated amber eyes. "I used to hate you, you know that? You were so clumsy, so hyper, and you messed everything up. But you know what I learned about you, after all that time in the prison den? You're not just some stupid kit! You have a heart, the biggest heart anyone's ever seen, you have a conscience, and on top of that, you have strength. You know how to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, and the cats you love. I _respected_ you. But now here you are, sulking on the ground like a dying queen." He gave Wood his fiercest, iciest glare. "I thought you were better than that."

Leaf gasped, Willow looked shocked, and Tawny looked hurt. But Wood, slowly and shakily, lifted himself to his paws, and lifted his burning amber eyes to match Frost's blazing ice.

"I _am_," he growled. "And you're _right._" He turned to face Leaf, Willow and Tawny, his eyes glowing with fierce determination. "Tawny, stay with the kits. Now come on; we have a war to win."

.**.**.

Stoneice stood at the head of his Ice Tribe army with Duskroot at his side. His stone gray fur swayed slightly in the breeze. He could see Water Tribe emerging from the snowdrifts in the distance. His glowing yellow eyes narrowed.

"Here they come." He turned around to his bloodthirsty Tribe, sharpening their claws and waiting in anticipation of the greatest battle of their lives. "Ice Tribe - _attack!_"

The cats poured forth into the snow, towards the oncoming rush of Water Tribe fighters. And at the center of the two Tribes, young and old, fat and slender, black and white, sky and earth, fire and rain, water and ice - collided.

- - - -

**--huggles Wood plushie--**

**Next time: the battle! But are the sides as defined as everyone thinks? **

**Till then,**

**Moonstar**


	37. The Rebel

**And we're back, for the beginning of a battle, no, THE battle...**

**Iceleaf:** --eats all the enchilada--yummmmmy... I luffle enchilada. xD

**Cinnamonpool:** sometimes I wish I _was _a mini Erin Hunter, because then I could write without confusing anyone and forgetting random details, but then, lots of times I'm glad I'm not Erin Hunter because their stories are starting to make me mad. ;) I've always been indecisive like that.

**Rockclaw:** well I was going to do it anyways, and you guessed... good job. Or not, because it means it was obvious. Dang. x.x And I really can't promise that no one'll die... --hides--

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire:** You're right, it is about time someone noticed. :P Happy (belated) 4th of July!

**The Fallen Ringmistress:** I know what you mean about the environment. It was bugging me a bit when I reread last chapter. It's one of those things that's difficult as a writer because _I_ know in my head what everything looks like and what everyone's doing, so there are things that I forget to tell you guys, who unfortunately can't see inside my head. It's just something else to the list of things I've got to work on. And yeah, I'd be happy to crit your stories, but you're not going to write them till next year? o.o why not? Might as well start now... :)

**Minty: **aww, thanks! Hope you enjoyed. :)

**Lakeshadow:** cliffies are too fun to stop! --giggles like a four-year-old--

**Spottedleafluver: **sorry you're confused. Look to the end responses, before the chapter stars, for help.

**Loup D'Amour:** poor Wood, he _is _depressed... but hopefully he'll get over it... --hugs plushie--

**Shadow of the Nights:** Sorry about the name confusion. I know, I know, lots of cats, lots of names. I tried not to make too many, and I think the ones that are actually important (and not minor characters, for example) stand out, but I'll try to help out with the confusion... look to the end of the responses. And sorry about not dragging the Wood and Smoke scene out... it was supposed to be sad, but I guess I didn't want to drag it out _too_ long and leave it at everyone crying all over the place... I dunno. --hugs Earthroot plushie--

**--**

**Okay. Sorry people are confused. **I never originally planned to have so many cats and so many names, but... they all wanted to be a part of the action. --shrugs-- So, in a measly five paragraphs, here is the story thus far. (you can skip it if you've managed to follow my bizarre thinking/writing and aren't confused at all):

Smokepaw was a ShadowClan apprentice who fell off a cliff on the journey to the new territory. We've all got that, I think. So he lands in the middle of a war between to cat Tribes, and is rescued from the owl's nest by **Wood**, a member of Water Tribe. He discovers a snowy, icy world - that is the climate, it is always cold and there is always snow on the ground. He goes to Water Tribe, befriends Wood, discovers that everyone thinks he's the Falling Smoke from their prophecy. But when he lies to the leader of Water Tribe, Whitewater, trying too hard to fit into the prophecy, they think he's actually the Shaded Talons of the prophecy and run him out of the Tribe. (They interpret Falling Smoke to be the savior of Water Tribe and the Shaded Talons to be Ice Tribe's cat). Wood, meanwhile, has pulled a prank on fellow trainee Leaf that almost gets her killed, and coupled with being friends with Smokepaw, makes him look rather guilty. So he gets chased out with Smokepaw, and they hide out in the middle of nowhere not knowing what to do... until they get captured.

They're taken to Ice Tribe, where Smokepaw convinces their leader, Stoneice, that he is the Shaded Talons. Meanwhile, **three trainees from Water Tribe - Willow, Frost and Leaf** - decide to try and save Wood and Smokepaw. But Leaf and Willow also get caught while on patrol, and Frost gets attacked by his trainee, Yellowroot, who's recieved a prophecy that he is going to kill her. He does end up killing her, then tries to save Leaf and Willow, but doesn't succeed. They all end up with Wood and Smokepaw in Ice Tribe.

The four prisoners - Wood, Leaf, Frost and Willow (Smokepaw isn't a prisoner, because he's their prophecy cat, remember) - meet the **rebels of Ice Tribe. Lead by Dark, Stoneice's second in command**, they fight for peace and to overthrow their leader. **They are: Dark, Leopard, Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek, Adder, and Tawny.** Tawny is Dark's trainee, Adder is Duskroot's trainee, Creek is Raccoon's trainee, and everyone else is a full-fledged fighter. When they hear that Yellowroot is dead, Dark sends five of them - Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek, and Tawny - to Water Tribe to try and persuade them to help their cause (peace) and kill Whitewater. He gets a strange cat with a mysterious past to lead them. Tawny later discovers, when she finds that he has murdered a she-cat (Amber) and one of her kits, as well as angrily killing Whitewater, that he is Smoke.

Smoke is Wood's brother. Smoke, Amber and Wood are a litter. When Amber was very young she fell in love with Mud, an evil, cruel fighter, and when her brothers didn't approve she turned her back on them. She never spoke much to Wood after that. But Smoke was captured in battle shortly after, and Wood had the opportunity to save him, but froze up. Dark rescued him from Stoneice and hid him away - and in the process of saving Smoke, one of the rebels (Silver) got killed covering up for Dark. Smoke blamed Wood for his capture, and -- well, the rest of the Smoke bio is in this chapter, so I'll stop.

Smoke managed to get Smokepaw framed for killing Amber and her kit. The two of them fight outside Water Tribe camp, and then Smoke slips away. Smokepaw runs off to follow him and meets up with Leaf - who believes it wasn't him - and then Wood, who's too depressed to listen to him and chases him off. Awhile back, Mud has betrayed Water Tribe and gone to Stoneice. Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek and Tawny (Dark's patrol) convince Water Tribe to help overthrow Stoneice. Mud has the tribe divided, however... --clamps mouth shut to avoid giving stuff away-- anyways. Water Tribe leaves for battle, and Ice Tribe leaves for battle.

Hope that cleared things up a bit. If it didn't, don't be afraid to ask questions. :)

**--**

**Chapter 37**

The battle hit them head on, and before he could blink, Flake found himself claw to claw with a fellow Ice Tribe fighter, Oak. The other young fighter gave him a strange look as they fought.

"Flake?" he questioned. "Switched sides, have you?"

"No," Flake growled as he ducked under a blow aimed towards his head. He lunged low at Oak and sent him spinning to the ground. "I was never on your side."

Oak merely went cross-eyed, dazed by the hit he'd taken, and Flake darted off to where Leopard was pinned beneath Mud's claws. He slammed into the mottled brown fighter from the side, rolling with him into the snow.

"I knew it," Mud snarled. "Ice Tribe scum. You never wanted to help Water Tribe."

"No," Leopard hissed from Flake's side. "He just doesn't want to help _you_." She drove a claw into his face, tearing at one of his eyes. He yowled in pain, but the older she-cat moved in for the kill, Flake stepped in front of her.

"Please, I don't want to be a part of killing another cat," he whispered. "He's out for now."

Leopard shot an angry glare at Mud, wishing with every fiber in her body she could kill the scheming traitor, but held back for the young fighter's sake. "Come on, we need to find our allies," she growled, and dashed away to where she thought she saw Reed disappear into a throng of cats.

Flake could understand why, he thought, as he sprinted after her. The battle was utter chaos. Water Tribe was divided right down the middle, between Mud's supporters and their own, and they weren't sure who they were supposed to be fighting. He and his friends, meanwhile, were on no one's side, and in desperate need of Dark's guidance, but the muscular tom was nowhere to be found.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Stoneice tearing out a Water Tribe fighter's throat. The bloodied chestnut-furred she-cat went limp in his grasp, and he let out a yowl of triumph. Flake felt his blood run cold. No one deserved a death like that, except maybe Stoneice himself.

And out of nowhere, his wish seemed to come true. From behind Stoneice, a shadow lunged out of the snowdrift, knocking the Ice Tribe leader to the ground and sending the dead she-cat flying from his jaws. Stoneice was quick to recover, and turned the tables on his sudden assailant with a swipe at his chest. The shadow didn't stumble backwards, but hesitated for the split second it took Stoneice to recover, and within a blink the two were both on their paws, facing each other down with murder in their eyes.

"Dark!" Leopard cried, and moved forward to his aid, but Flake stopped her.

"No, this is his fight," Flake mewed quietly. "He'll want to finish Stoneice himself."

All around them, one by one, cats were noticing the event that was taking place. Individual battles were put on hold, frozen in time, as the cats turned to the showdown taking place in the center of the battlefield.

"No one in the Snowlands can beat Stoneice in single combat," Sand meowed confidently.

"No one except Dark," growled her trainer from her side. The trainee's eyes darkened, because she knew he was right. Stoneice was widely regarded as the best fighter in the history of Ice Tribe, if not the entire Snowlands, while Dark was rumored to be his equal. If there was anyone who could beat the Ice Tribe leader, Dark was the cat.

They circled each other slowly, oblivious to the oval of spectators forming around them. "Traitor," Stoneice snarled. "You, of all cats betrayed me. I'll show you what happens to those who betray me."

"I didn't betray anyone," Dark hissed in reply, his dark blue gaze never leaving Stoneice's slow stepping form. "I stayed true to the rebels of Ice Tribe."

At this, many cats gasped - who would have thought that Stoneice's right paw cat was a traitor, and an advocate for peace at that? It was either an act, which was quite unlikely, or a _very_ well disguised secret.

"I'll kill you," Dark continued with pure hate in his voice. "For all the cats you've killed and all the lives you've ruined."

Stoneice paused, then his features broke into a malevolent smirk. "I see how it is," he snickered. "Still bitter about the weak little she-cat I killed?"

Dark almost lost it, but he forced his temper in check just enough to retain control of himself as he lunged at his former leader. "Don't you _dare_ talk about Silver like that!" he yowled. "She was a better cat than you ever were in your wildest dreams!"

He wrestled Stoneice to the ground, but the Ice Tribe leader was still talking confidently. "It _was _you, wasn't it. You really were the one who released the Falling Smoke, not her." Dark seethed as he swiped at Stoneice's throat. He rolled his head side to side, narrowly evading his former fighter's strikes. "Some lover-tom you were, letting her take the fall," Stoneice continued. "She didn't have to die. You _let_ her die instead of you."

Dark hesitated; his grip went slack on Stoneice's scruff, and it was all the opportunity the Ice Tribe leader needed. He shoved a claw upwards, catching Dark in the jaw, and sending him reeling back. Not wasting a second for him to catch is breath, Stoneice sprang to his paws and slammed into his adversary head-on. Dark flew backwards and tumbled to the snow in a tangle of limbs, with blood trickling from his lips.

"Dark!" Reed, Flake and Raccoon screamed all at once, all standing stiff on their paws and leaning forward with narrowed eyes, straining for a better view.

Stoneice strutted up to his opponent, who was lying with his back to him, and placed a claw at the back of his neck. "Did you really think you could beat me?" he taunted as his claw drew blood. "You could probably beat every other cat here, but not me. I should know, I taught you myself." He drove his claws deeper into the back of Dark's neck, watching in satisfaction as the blood streamed forth. "I hope you've learned your lesson, my trainee. Enjoy Sky Tribe."

To Stoneice's surprise, Dark leaned backwards into his claw, then to his utter astonishment, leapt forward and out of his grasp. Blood leaked down both is shoulders from the gash at the back of his neck, but he was still standing.

"If I go to Sky Tribe, I'm taking you with me. Though I doubt they have a place in their ranks for the likes of you," he snarled. "And that's a promise."

"We'll see," Stoneice replied icily, and again leapt at Dark.

"Yeah! Go Dark!" Willow cheered in support, earning him a sideways glance from Leopard. But she and his fellow rebels shared his enthusiasm, and watched the following movements in utter fascination.

It was hard to follow Dark and Stoneice as their claws met, as they dodged, leapt, swiped and tore. They were both so quick and so deadly, and Reed shuddered at the thought of them on the same side. They could completely decimate the ranks of all opposition as just the two of them. But right before his eyes, arguably the two greatest fighters ever to walk to Snowlands were pitted against each other, and the fate of every cat present seemed to rest on the outcome.

Stoneice leapt for the wound on Dark's neck, and succeeded in knocking his former fighter to the ground. Dark struggled up and leapt back at him, amidst calls from his supporters.

"That was dirty!" Reed protested loudly.

"Going for his injury," Flake agreed. "The no good -"

"What, you expected Stoneice to fight fair?" Leopard deadpanned. She felt the glares of her young allies on her, but they all knew it was true. Eventually everyone set their eyes back on the whirlwind of claws and fur that was the future of the Snowlands.

The blur of dark blue-gray and stony fur froze for a split second, and the blue-gray figure was on top; and then the flurry of motion resumed, only to freeze again for a steel gray paw to swipe at a blue-gray ear; and then it went on, an almost untraceable blur of breakneck motion and a fiery fight. The scuffle kicked up dust and flakes of ice, forming what Flake thought of as a cloud of battle around the two fighters.

And then a dusty, bloodied figure flew out from cloud. Reed, Raccoon and Flake squinted to see which of the two cats it was, praying with all their hearts. Raccoon found his tail entwined tightly with Creek's, the trainee inching closer to him and trembling violently.

The figure coughed and raised his head to unveil bloodshot yellow eyes. The rebels exhaled loudly, finding extreme relief in each other's eyes as the cloud cleared to reveal the cat left standing. Blood flowed freely from the gash in his neck and from other various cuts, dirt caked around the tips of his fur, and he had a mad look in his intense blue eyes, but standing he was.

Stoneice looked equally worse for wear. He had one particular wound across his left flank that seemed to keep him on the ground, as well as blood dripping into his eyes from a gash that cut across his forehead. He tried to struggle to his paws, but a choked cough escaped him, and he fell back to the ground.

Dark walked up to him on shaking paws and shook the dirt free from his fur. "And now, Stoneice; for Silver and all the other cats you've killed and caused pain to, you must die." And he bent down and mercilessly bit the life out of the Ice Tribe leader's throat, and his followers watched in joyful yet sick and repulsed horror as the tyrant went still.

There was a pause, as if the warring cats had been frozen in time; and then Dark's eyes rolled back, and he fell face first into the snow. Leopard sprinted forward in a vain attempt to catch her companion, but she was too far away, and he fainted to the ground before she could reach him.

"Dark, Dark, speak to me..." she turned around to the stunned cats of the Tribes. "Adder, Frost, a little help here!" The two herb apprentices numbly stepped forward and made their way to her side.

Leopard's eyes locked with Reed's, and Silver's former trainee suddenly realized what she meant him to do. The battle was far, far from over, and it was up to him to finish it. He ran up to her and faced the assembled cats.

"Dark fights with us for peace!" He declared. "And there are cats here who would like to see the death and bloodshed in the Snowlands come to an end. All for peace, rally to us!"

Flake, Raccoon and Creek had made their way to him, as well as many of their supporters from Water Tribe and, to their surprise, a few from Ice Tribe, who had either hated Stoneice or admired Dark. But, as expected, it was never that easy.

"How could you _rally _behind some kits new from the nursery?" Mud challenged, mocking Reed's phrasing. "_Look _at them! Two kits who can barely call themselves herb cats in training. A bunch of wet-behind the ears kits who call themselves our saviors. Who are they to pull apart our Tribes and families?"

"The great Stoneice is dead!" Duskroot added. "Dead at a traitor's paws! Would you side with those murderers, those hypocrites?"

Cats loyal to Stoneice and others who didn't quite trust the young allies moved towards Mud and Duskroot. There appeared to be some cats reluctant to choose, and were stuck in the middle, but they could be on _no one's _side, now could they? The indecisive ones split in half, some moving for Reed and others for Mud. The sides were about even, if not a few extra cats in their favor, Reed observed astutely.

"Do we really have to fight?" the voice came from behind Reed, and out stepped Wood, seeming fully the trainee he'd been before everything began. Poor naive, kind-hearted Wood. "We don't need to kill each other and shed the blood of our fellow cats! We can talk, we can reach an agreement -"

"Shut up, kit," snarled Mud. "You think we would just ­_hand over_ a victory?" Yowls of agreement echoed amongst his hard-core supporters.

"You're one to talk," hissed Wood. "Especially about 'tearing apart our Tribes and families'. I'll bet you don't even know that your mate and one of your kits are lying _dead_ in your den."

Shock flashed on Mud's face, but only for a split second before he masked it. "What difference does it make, _kit?_ Why should I care?"

"Because she was your mate!" Wood cried. "She loved you! She left me and Smoke, never spoke to us, to be with _you_, and you didn't even care about her? And now she's _dead!_ I'll show _you!_" And without warning he leapt at Mud, rolling over and with him into the snow. And on their cue, the renewed battle began.

ooo ooo ooo

Smoke watched from a distance with narrowed eyes as the mottled brown fighter began to get the best of his brother. Wood's words about Amber had stung him - he remembered their sister turning her back on them, even as a young trainee.

_They were sitting around the fresh kill pile, sharing an abnormally plump vole between them. Amber was up on her paws, speaking passionately about her choice. "I want to be with Mud," she told them fiercely. "He's so bold, so strong, one day he'll be leader of Water Tribe even, and I want to be with him forever, to have his kits -"_

_"Amber, stop that," Wood meowed with his mouth full. He swallowed loudly and continued, "You've only been a trainee for two moons! Aren't you a little young to be deciding these things?"_

_"You're just jealous because you'll _never_ have a mate," Amber snorted snidely. "Right, Smoke?" She looked to their prodigy of a brother for approval._

_Smoke rolled his dark gray eyes. "Honestly, Amber, I couldn't care less about how you throw your life away." He and Wood shared a knowing look, and she stamped her foot in petty frustration with their silent communication. Personally, he _hated_ watching his sister give up her proper training and hence her life for a greedy, mean, cruel fighter, but she was only more likely to do it if he criticized her._

He remembered her running away from them in tears after Wood had insulted Mud with words he didn't care to remember, and she never spoke to her amber-eyed brother again. In retrospect, Smoke thought that she may have continued talking with _him_, had he not been captured. Which was the _fault_ of that certain amber-eyed brother. He grit his teeth in anger and anticipation. He was so close, _so _close to finishing what he'd started.

_Why?_ Wood's voice demanded in his mind. _Why do you have to be so... so __**evil? **__Killing in cold blood is __**wrong!**_

Smoke's mind wandered back to the day he'd pledged to kill them, to kill them all.

_He looked up at Dark with tired eyes. He had almost, almost gotten the best of his trainer. He had learned fast, and after some moons Dark had stopped _teaching _him, per se, and his visits had become slightly less frequent. When he came, they would spar, to keep up Smoke's skills. Smoke knew that he was no match for Dark, but he was a quick, natural fighter. Today their fight had gone on longer than usual, and for a split second, Smoke's keen eyes picked up an opening that Dark had left through his claws. _

_He shoved a sheathed claw straight forward. His paw was supposed to "penetrate" his chest, making him the victor for the first time. But Dark moved to the side just in time, and Smoke found himself pinned to the ground. Again._

_"Good job," Dark praised him, and Smoke drank in the praise proudly. Dark didn't just throw around compliments, and he only received praise when he truly deserved it. "But one thing. You saw the opening I left through my springing paws, right?"_

_Smoke nodded. "I tried to penetrate -"_

_"Don't. An opening like that is tempting to use, but can close up all too quickly, and pouncing on it like you did leaves you prone to counter attack." He lifted himself off of Smoke, releasing him from the strong grip. "As was demonstrated."_

_Smoke nodded obediently. "Thank you, Dark." He bowed his head. Stoneice's right paw cat bowed in turn, and spun around to leave, but something suddenly occurred to Smoke._

_"Wait," he called after him. Dark paused and looked over his shoulder._

_"Yes?"_

_"Have they... have they come yet?"_

_Dark gave him his rare soft look. "You haven't asked in awhile..."_

_"Stop stalling."_

_"No... no, they haven't," Dark meowed quietly._

_"Not a single rescue attempt?"_

_Much as he wanted to, Dark would never lie to his informal trainee. "No."_

_Smoke looked away, trying to hide the incredibly hurt look in his eyes from his ever-stoic mentor. "That's alright. Thanks for telling me." And he retreated slowly into his icy den to curl up and bury his face in his paws. He barely registered Dark bounding off into the night._

He remembered asking why - demanding why. Demanding of anyone he thought was listening; bugs, ghosts, his ancestors in Sky Tribe - why? Why didn't they come for him? Why didn't they even _try?_ Sure, he didn't really expect anything out of Whitewater, who either expected him to get out on his own or simply didn't care. But somewhere deep down inside him, much as he hated and despised each of his siblings, he wished they would come for him. Every day he was sure that Amber or Wood, or both, would arrive out of the snow bounding up to him telling him all about how they'd searched for him, how long they'd been looking for him, how much they'd missed him, and how happy they were to bring him home.

Of course, he didn't want to go home on his own. He knew he always could if he wanted, but he didn't. Especially if no one back in Water Tribe cared enough to even _look _for him. He had no friends; Whitewater hadn't allowed such a break from training. Amber and Wood were all he had, but Amber had followed Mud into a parallel universe, and Wood... Wood had betrayed him. Hadn't the betrayal shown him? He was obviously nothing more to Wood than a kit-hood idol and a tool, easily replaced and forgotten. That little brat would never come looking for him.

And then it had occurred to him. He'd grown strong, stronger than Whitewater could have ever imagined. It would be _easy _to sneak up on her in the middle of the night and kill her. And why not kill Wood and Amber too? They deserved to die and suffer for what they had done to him. It only seemed fair. And if anyone got in the way? They'd be killed too, and it'd be their own fault. No one could or should try and stop him.

And for the first time in a long while, Smoke slept a good night's sleep. He was satisfied and felt right again with a purpose in life. A purpose he swore to fulfill.

So as Mud moved in to pin Wood down, obviously intending to end his life, Smoke chose to intervene.

ooo o ooo

As Smoke observed his unsuspecting targets, Smokepaw observed his. He couldn't see the battle from his vantage point, but he could sure see Smoke. He was preparing to spring, almost ready to make his leap at his enemy's throat, when Smoke leapt into the fray. Now _why_ would he do that? Smokepaw was incredibly confused. He'd been counting on Smoke showing up for the simple amusement, not to fight, and had hoped for an element of surprise.

And then it hit him. Wood. He hadn't killed Wood. If he'd killed the rest of Wood's family, and hated Wood so much, it stood to reason he'd go after his brother as well. Smokepaw's blood ran cold. It didn't matter if his friend - no, _former_ friend - thought he was a heartless killer, he would still try with all his heart and soul to save him.

_And besides,_ Smokepaw thought, _I run the risk of someone __**else**__ killing that furball, now can I?_ He smirked cynically as he darted after his target. Ah,_ cynicism, the one constant in my life. The one thing I can manage._ He gritted his teeth, and dove into battle.

--

**Eek!**

**Next chapter: Smoke and Wood! Smoke vs. Smokepaw! (finally... agh.)**

**And note: _Next chapter is written. FULLY WRITTEN._ I think that's the first time that's actually happened before. xD Point being, I'll post it when I feel like it, but it'll be up in the next few days. --gasp--**

**Moonstar**


	38. Rock Climbing

**And we're back. Wooohooo.**

**Rockclaw:** I've thought a bit about a sequel, but if it happens it won't be for awhile. There might, however, be a _prequel..._ It would be about Smokepaw back in ShadowClan, and his relationship with Tawnypaw and Rowanclaw. It'll be short, and completely Smokepaw-centric. :)

**Cinnamonpool:** Smoke, you're fat. --hides so author doesn't get killed--

**Iceleaf:** aww... --sniff-- the enchilada... I'll make sure Earthroot and Smoke get it though. :D

**Tawnyleaf: **--shrugs pretending not to know-- I can't just tell you, now can I? xP

**Tsukoyomi13:** good luck with the Warriors fandom. I've never tried writing Naruto, though I read in that fandom obsessively. If you've had success with writing Naruto you should have an fun time with Warriors, considering besides the alternate universe and species thing, the themes and ideas are similar. And it's fun to try weaving some of the components of Naruto characters into your own... (note Leaf, Wood, Smoke, and Dark ;) Good luck. :)

**Lakeshadow:** if it helps at all, Smokepaw hates cliffs much more than you do...

**Twitchtail13: **I don't ever want it to end either, but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. :(

**Minty:** stop gluing your eyes to the screen, they'll get all burned, and then they'll hurt like mine. x.x

**Hey, Faunamon! **So I know you didn't review this chapter, but guess what, I found a sword/sworn mistake when I was proofreading! I was really really proud. xP

**Chapter 38**

Wood knew he was outmatched, but refused to believe it. Mud was a more skilled, more experienced fighter, but what kind of cat would he be if he just _gave up?_ It was against his morals and everything he believed in, and his stubborn side wouldn't allow it. A cat like Mud, whom he hated with every fiber in his body, needed to be defeated.

Yet he was weakening fast. His shoulder wound had reopened, and Mud had employed Stoneice's strategy of aiming for his weak spot. Wood saw the world tilting and swaying, and then without warning Mud slammed into him, knocking the wind out of him and driving him to the ground. Without missing a beat the mottled brown fighter was on top of him with a claw at his throat, his weight squeezing the breath out of him.

He remembered the last time he thought he was going to die. It had been a similar situation, during their escape from Ice Tribe. An Ice Tribe fighter had been on top of him, and raised his claw for the final blow. Frost had come out of nowhere to save him, but he had no idea where the herb trainee was now, and he probably wouldn't be able to save his pelt again anyways. This time it was really it, but it was even worse, because it was _Mud_. He'd let himself get beat by the cat who'd stolen his sister and killed so many cats in cold blood. It was sickening to think about, almost as sickening as the very idea of his death was horrifying.

He squeezed his eyes shut, a flurry of thoughts scurrying through his head, a mental list of sorts, things he'd have to do when he was in Sky Tribe since he couldn't manage while he was alive. He had to thank Frost for his little pep-talk. He had to thank Willow for being a supportive friend. He had to thank Leaf for forgiving him, and then backing him up in Water Tribe. He had to get down on his knees and say sorry to Smokepaw, and tell him that he wanted to be his friend again. And he had to make amends with Smoke, no matter how much Smoke hated him and no matter how much that hate was now returned. It brought tears to his closed, unseeing eyes. He had so much left to say, so much left to do...

And then something rammed into Mud, pushing him off. Wood, gasping for breath, was barely able to turn his head in time to see his rescuer leaping rapidly from side to side and then with lightning quickness, spring straight at Mud's neck. Mud howled in fury and anger and pain as Wood's rescuer mercilessly sank his teeth into his neck. Just as Wood had been outmatched by Mud, Mud was outstandingly outfought by the strange brown tabby.

Wood pondered the odds. Twice now he'd been rescued from the brink of death. Someone in Sky Tribe must really like him.

And then Mud went eerily still in the brown tabby's jaws, and he turned around agonizingly slowly to face the cat he had saved. Wood met his dark, coal gray eyes - and his heart fell right to his feet.

Scratch that. Someone in Sky Tribe must really _hate _him.

Smoke was bigger than he remembered, but then, it was expected that he'd grow like any normal cat would. He was slightly larger than Wood with longer, larger paws, and his pelt was slightly darker, but otherwise the only difference between them was their eyes. Smoke's smoky gray eyes, which were his namesake, burned fiercely in their sockets, and in that moment Wood knew with a horrible, terrifying thrill that his brother had saved him only to kill him.

"Smoke..." he whispered.

Smoke spat angrily at his paws with red blood tingeing his spit. "Don't you dare try and talk to me like a brother. You think I don't remember? Well I _do_. I remember how you chose not to save me. And I know you never came for me. Don't say it's unfair, it's just what _traitors _have coming."

Wood had known he couldn't fight Mud, but denied it; now he knew he couldn't fight Smoke, that Smoke had grown enormously as a fighter, and trying to fight him would be like waving a stick at an avalanche. But he couldn't, wouldn't deny it. There was only one way to save himself - and that was telling the truth.

"Smoke, I wanted to save you," he mewed desperately, his paws shuffling and fidgeting in the powdery snow. "And I _did _try that day - I leapt for you, I was ready to die for you, but someone knocked me down and out... and then I wanted to come to Ice Tribe and save you, I would have gone alone and gotten myself _killed_, but Whitewater wouldn't allow it. And then you didn't come back and I thought you were dead, and I'm sorry, so sorry... but now you're here again! And I hope you'll forgive me, and then I'll forgive you for everything you've done, and we can be brothers again..."

"Stop trying to save your pelt with stupid, pathetic lies and fantasies_._"

Wood gulped at the venom in his brother's voice. He subconsciously took a step backwards. "Smoke..."

Smoke took a step forwards to make up the gap. "I swore I'd make you pay, and now I will." And he leapt across the distance between them, bowling Wood over and tumbling with him into the snow.

.**.**.

Smokepaw watched in shock as his dream from what seemed like ages ago became real right in front of his eyes. He remembered being forced to choose between two of his most treasured cats - Wood and Talonpaw. He'd watched as each of them lay on the brink of death, and he'd spun left, right, back and forth, not knowing what to do; and in the end, to his horrified surprise, he had chosen Wood.

In his dream, Wood had been fighting a brown tabby who looked just like him, if not a little darker and a little bigger. Smokepaw realized with a jolt that he had seen Smoke. He subconsciously wondered how he could have seen his enemy before _actually _seeing him; but then StarClan, or Sky Tribe, was strange like that.

In the dream, they had been locked in battle - Smoke bowled Wood over, and they stood up as one, standing on their hind legs with their paws locked together, each trying to force the other back to the ground.

In the dream, they had broken apart and skidded backwards, then one had taken an aggressive fighting stance, and the other had taken a step back. Smoke and Wood split and slid away from each other across the ice. Smoke recovered himself and crouched low into a savage fighting stance, his gray eyes blazing. Wood struggled to regain his balance, and when he did, he took a shaky step backwards.

In the dream, Smokepaw had thought the smaller cat was a coward as his adversary leapt on him and he made no move to defend himself. But now he understood why Wood stood still in refusal to fight as Smoke lunged at him, tore at his fur and forced him back down to the ice.

In the dream, the smaller cat had cried out brokenly in desperate anguish, just as Wood did now: "No, you don't want this! Stop, I'm your brother!"

In the dream, Smokepaw remembered not caring about the small cat's fate, only wanting to go back and rescue Talonpaw. In the dream Talonpaw had also been in danger. He didn't understand why one brother here wanted to kill the other when all he wanted was to save his, but he didn't really care. Until, with a tidal wave of terror, Smokepaw recognized Wood.

And now, Smokepaw recognized Wood's defeat. He was going to _let _Smoke win, _let _Smoke kill him, not because he knew he wouldn't win anyway, but because he couldn't bring himself to fight his brother. And just like in the dream, Wood's eyes locked with Smokepaw's. But before the defeated trainee could do or say anything, Smokepaw was off and running towards him.

Smoke had taken so much from him; there was no way in StarClan he was going to let him take Wood as well. _He _had to be the one to fight Smoke, and his friend dying wasn't part of the plan.

Smoke barely registered him coming before they collided head on. For the second time in as many minutes, Wood was set free from a would-be killer's grasp. The amber-eyed trainee hastily sat up and took in the scene before him.

Smokepaw and Smoke were glaring daggers sharp enough to kill a cat. Each had their teeth barred identically, with deep fires burning in their eyes.

Neither wasted time with talk or insults. Each knew what the other had to say, and had no need to hear it; they cut to the chase, circling for a mere two seconds before Smoke made a move. Smokepaw moved opposite, and they dodged, jumped and darted until Smokepaw landed a lucky scrape across Smoke's left flank. The gray-eyed tabby yowled, not with pain but with anger, and dove back at Smokepaw.

Slowly, just as cats had slowly started to watch the fight between Dark and Stoneice, they began to watch Smoke and Smokepaw as well. Cats from Ice Tribe and Water Tribe alike began to recognize Smoke, the Falling Smoke they had thought to be dead, and Smokepaw, the presumed Shaded Talons. Their jaws dropped in awe as they realized what was happening.

_Falling smoke will shatter the ice and shaded talons will splash into water and only one will remain._

Falling Smoke versus Shaded Talons. The fight they'd been anticipating and preparing for all their lives without even knowing if it would happen in their lifetimes. And then here it was right before them, the single fight that would determine the future of the Snowlands.

Only one could survive, they thought. The winner would decide which Tribe would take over. The cats from each Tribe, some who had been fighting together after the sides had been blurred, separated quickly back into their own Tribes to cheer on the cat they took to be their representative. The battle between everyone but Smoke and Smokepaw had come to a stand still, and every cat found themselves passionately yelling and screaming support or their cat.

"Come on, Talon! Show the Falling Smoke which Tribe is more powerful!"

"Smoke! We never doubted you! Prove us right!"

"Nice dodge, Talon!"

"Aim for his paw, Smoke!"

"There, an opening!"

"Lunge above him!"

Amidst the wild calls, cheering and shouting, Reed, Flake, Raccoon and Creek, plus Willow and Wood, found their way together. Wood recounted for them his miraculous rescue, while Reed eyed the battle warily.

"What's wrong, Reed?" Flake asked when he noticed the observant look in his friend's eyes.

"I just... I don't know who we're rooting for," Reed confessed. "Who should we want to win?"

"Smokepaw," answered Wood without missing a beat. "Smoke is a scourge, and he'd be a tyrant like Stoneice -"

"But what if he's the cat meant to win for our cause?" Reed challenged.

"That's absurd and stupid," Willow meowed heatedly. "You heard Wood, Smoke just tried to kill him -"

"And you _saw_ what he did to Whitewater," whispered Creek. The quiet reminder stunned Reed into silence.

There was an uneasy, tense silence, until Willow broke in hesitantly. "Has... has anyone seen Dark?" he asked slowly.

Flake shook his head. "Haven't been anywhere near him since the battle restarted." His voice was tinged with concern. "Maybe we should go find him while the fighting's stopped?"

"Frost and Adder are taking care of him." Wood had a distant look in his eyes. "Frost's a good herb cat... I want to stay here and watch."

"I'll stay with him," Willow declared. He moved over to his friend, whose glassy eyes made him look like he was in a state of shock. Actually, thought Willow, he probably is.

Raccoon and Creek wordlessly agreed to stay, while Flake and Reed went off together to look for Dark. Willow retrained his eyes back on the battle, where Smokepaw and Smoke were still tirelessly going at it.

And then suddenly, Smoke broke away from Smokepaw and off into a run in the opposite direction. Smokepaw howled in fury. "Come back here, _coward!_" He took off after him, adrenaline pumping madly through his veins and charging the fastest sprint of his life.

The crowd moved as one like a giant amoeba, squirming and straining to catch a glimpse of what in Sky Tribe's name was going on. It appeared that Smoke had just...run away. So the crowd followed, eager to watch this strange turn of events.

Sprays of snow kicked up behind Smoke's paws as he ran. Smokepaw was gaining on him, but not so quickly, and he knew with firm confidence he'd make it to his destination before his pursuer caught up. Oh, he'd heard the stories of Smokepaw's miraculous arrival. The Falling Smoke, the Shaded Talons, whatever he was, the savior that dropped out of the sky. It was only fitting that it ended where it began.

Come to think of it, he didn't know what he himself was. He had never believed himself to be the cat of the prophecy, and wondered idly as he ran if the crowd trailing them was in for a sour disappointment. _Smokepaw_ might be something - Falling Smoke or Talons, Smoke had no clue - but he was pretty sure that he himself was neither. It was simply a heated duel between enemies - no, _rivals_, Smoke tacked on thoughtfully. Just a fierce battle between a pair of rivals, not the face-off that would determine everyone's future, but Smoke was determined that only one of them would come out of it alive.

Finally Smoke reached his destination - the cliff-face. The cliffs stretched on for miles, as if signifying the edge of the Snowlands, but the brown tabby knew he was in the right place when he looked up and saw, a few hundred foxlengths off the ground, a giant owl's nest.

He felt his paws scraping the oddly fragile ice beneath him, wondering if perhaps he was standing on a coat of ice shielding a lake, but he had no time to wonder. He picked up speed across the ice and came charging at the rock-face, then leapt up as high as he could, latching onto some footholds with his foreclaws. He pulled his backclaws level, and proceeded to scampered straight up the cliff and onto a small rock ledge that sat about a hundred foxlengths below the owl's nest.

Just as he pulled himself onto the ledge, he saw Smokepaw charging with reckless fury at the cliff, and leap up and grab onto footholds just like he had. Poor, naive little Smokepaw, didn't he see what Smoke was trying to do? The tabby snickered. That would make it all that much more fun.

The crowd below watched in awe as Smokepaw scrambled up the cliff-face after his rival. Smoke waited for him on the ledge, and tried to detach his claws when he tried to claw up. Smokepaw hissed in frustration as his right claw came loose, and to make things worse, the piece of foxdung was gazing right at him with those absolutely evil gray-black eyes.

"So this was your plan? To make me climb up after you so you could push me off?" Smokepaw's right paw twisted wildly in the air as he tried to bring it back up to the ledge.

"Well, yes," Smoke meowed thoughtfully, as if his answer actually required thought. The little brat was _infuriating._ Smokepaw couldn't _wait_ to spring up on him and turn his sadistic plan against him. His right paw made contact with the ledge and he quickly latched on, and before Smoke even caught sight of his new grip he'd catapulted himself up onto the ledge.

The crowd below gasped collectively as a series of swipes and slashes were exchanged on the small ledge, barely large enough to hold the two cats. And then, too far away for them to hear, he whispered to Smokepaw, "The great thing about my plan was, if I failed the first time..." He leapt off the ledge and continued climbing upwards. "I could always try again!" He called down to Smokepaw, the laughter unmistakable in his voice. Seething and fuming, Smokepaw could have sworn he had fire coming out his ears as again he gave in to the vertical chase.

Smokepaw considered springing upwards and catching onto Smoke's backpaw, and pulling both of them down together. But no, it was too risky; if he missed, he was done for, and come to think of it, if he succeeded he was also done for. Heroic deaths were admirable things, particularly to those who _didn't _have to commit them - the idiot prophecy bearers of StarClan and Sky Tribe came to mind. But in Smokepaw's opinion, it didn't matter _how_ admirably you died, because at the end of the day you were still _dead_.

So he kept on climbing, and when Smoke launched himself straight into the owl's nest, Smokepaw hurled himself in after before he could take the opportunity to swipe at his paws again. He almost landed right on Smoke himself as he crashed in, but rapidly recovered himself as his enemy dove at him. The owl chicks were gone, Smokepaw observed, but the remnants of their eggs remained; they must have grown up and gone off on their own. The mother owl was nowhere in sight, but Smokepaw did _not _want to be around when she returned.

And besides, this time he wanted the insane cliff-jumping to be on _his_ terms. Smokepaw pushed the images of Grass and Cypress fighting in the owl's nest, Cypress's blood spilling across the woven sticks and dirt, the chaos surrounding the nest and the one cat who noticed him, the one cat with the consideration to help him, to take care of him... and leapt up onto the outside lining of the nest and propelled himself back onto the cliff-face.

Smoke laughed, and Smokepaw might have thought it was cheery had he not been alert for the menacing, cunning edge to the chilling laugh. It almost made Smokepaw stop, but he refused to. He vowed not to give into his enemy's freaking mind games.

"Caught on now, have you?" Smoke mocked, climbing up after him. The brown tabby considered _not _following; Smokepaw would eventually come back down to him, but the idea of Smokepaw springing down and landing on him in the nest wasn't all too appealing, so he resigned to give chase.

The cliffs up here split - between their rock face and another was a chasm, a narrow divide between the rocks, and Smokepaw remembered that that's where he had fallen through. That's where he'd laid bloody and broken on a ledge, gazing up as unseeing faces peered down, and then the Clans walked on without him. That's where he'd taken his daring leaps downward from ledge to ledge, the cynicist in his mind never shutting up, the optimist hiding in the corner, and the realist agreeing with the cynicist. _That's_ when you know you're screwed. But Smokepaw, despite his cynicism and ShadowClan upbringing, had the burning desire to live within him, and had subconsciously opted for the better-than-zero theory; if he _tried _to live, by falling through the ledges and cliffs, it was better than just lying there to die.

He scampered along the corner of the chasm and into the divide, the canyon of sorts. He was well aware that he was now climbing up the very rocks that had nearly ended his life, and still might yet. Smoke struggled around the bend but was soon balanced again, and literally hot on his heels. The footholds were getting fewer and far between, and Smokepaw, having grown up in the forest and being a natural tree-climber, was having a much easier time of it than his pursuer. But all cats were born with the ability to climb, and Smoke had always been a fast learner.

Smokepaw came across a rock jutting out from the cliff face, and an evil idea sparked in his mind. He momentarily let go of the cliff with one paw and swiped at the rock. It tumbled away from the cliff and rolled down below him, whizzing right by Smoke's ear and slicing off the tips of his fur. Smokepaw cackled inwardly at his _genius_ idea. Oakfur would be _proud_ for once. Smoke, on the other paw, was not as thrilled, and continued climbing upwards with a new ferocity, his murderous gray-black eyes fixed intently on Smokepaw.

Smokepaw, for his part, was beginning to _enjoy_ himself as he located more and more rocks to send rolling down towards Smoke's head. He was fervently hoping that one of them would dislatch his pursuer, causing him to fall to the ice below as he had many moons before, but he knew somewhere inside him that Smoke would not be so easily defeated. But that didn't mean he couldn't annoy him and make his pursuit a bit more difficult, because being annoying in that cynical was of his was what Smokepaw did best.

Smoke gritted his teeth in the face of the miniature rock slide coming down at him. He narrowed his eyes, nearly closing them, to avoid being blinded by the gritty dust accompanying the falling rocks. He was forced to move side to side to avoid being hit on the head or worse, hit on the paw, making him lose his grip. For the first time since beginning the climb, and come to think of it, since the day of his capture, Smoke was afraid. Falling Sky Tribe only knew how many foxlengths down, down, down to the ground _himself_ had never been part of the plan; it was supposed to be his enemy. But now the idea of falling like that, his stomach flip-flopping and the wind rushing in his ears knowing that his life would end in mere seconds, and then crashing to the ground with a loud crack of snapping bones, was not something he looked forward to. He dreaded it with a sinking heart, but he pushed his dread away and replaced it with a renewed vigor. He would make _sure _that Smokepaw was the one to suffer that fate, he thought, as he jerked his body to the right to avoid an abnormally large rock said enemy had sent his way.

Finally Smokepaw reached a ledge. The smoke-furred apprentice had no intention of stopping, but his pursuer certainly did, and as Smokepaw corded his hind legs to spring up again, Smoke leapt up and caught hold of his back paw. With a yowl, Smokepaw twisted away before Smoke could bend or break it, but he felt the shallow cut and the small trickle of blood leaking down his paw. It was the same paw he'd cut with the ice shard on his original fall. Talk about deja vu.

And so they were fighting again on a small ledge. Smokepaw could have sworn he'd lain on the very same ledge moons before, half dead, broken and bleeding. But he couldn't afford to think of that now as he ducked under Smoke's swinging paw and grabbed it with his teeth. He tried to throw his enemy over the edge, but Smoke wrenched his now bleeding paw free, and completely undeterred, kicked out with his hindpaws at Smokepaw.

Smokepaw swerved to the side, but felt his back paw come up against the edge. A pebble pushed off fell into the abyss, free-falling to a dark fate below. Smoke was moving towards him, but Smokepaw _couldn't_ take another step backwards, or he'd end up with the same fate as that smooth gray pebble with the jagged white line circling it. Not that Smokepaw had closely observed the pebble or anything. And not that the pebble's destiny mirrored his own.

He skittered backwards, as much as he could without falling backwards to his death. But Smoke was moving closer, and Smokepaw didn't see a way over or around him. His brain whirred furiously, looking for an opening, a chance. But Smoke was too good and too efficient to allow such an escape. Smokepaw had been backed into a wall - or, to be precise and avoid a metaphor, backed into a chasm, and there was no way to avoid a repeat of his original fall with death lying in wait at the bottom.

"So tell me, _Talon,_" growled Smoke as he inched forwards, his claws glinting in the half-light. "Or Smokepaw, or _whatever _your name is. What part of the prophecy are you?"

Smokepaw flinched, then forced himself still for his pride's sake. But honestly, the question had startled him, and he still didn't know the answer. When he hesitated, Smoke meowed mockingly, "You don't _know?_"

"Neither do you!" Smokepaw snapped.

"Yes, but I don't _care," _Smoke replied smoothly, taking confidence from having the upper paw. "You, on the other paw... knowing might be very important to your survival." He took another half step towards Smokepaw, who felt one of his back claws step backwards into thin air. "Personally, I'd have to guess that you are the Falling Smoke, seeing as you'll be _falling_ soon."

Smokepaw suddenly remembered what Earthroot had said to him, back so long ago, when the prisoners were first brought to Ice Tribe.

_You know you are the cat of the prophecy, but do you know which part?_

_I assume I'm the Falling Smoke, whatever that means._

_Wrong. Or, half right._

_What do you mean?_

_Well, you're sort of both. You could be the one thing or the other for either Tribe, but once you choose your path there's no turning back, and another being will rise up to take the place of what you're not._

It still made no sense to him, and it didn't even slightly clear up his idea of what he was supposed to be. The only way it helped was it assured him that he _was _part of the prophecy.

And Smoke was about to be correct in his prediction if Smokepaw didn't do something soon. He considered turning and jumping, hoping to land on another ledge not too far down; but the risk was too great, and he hadn't come all this way just to turn around and save Smoke the effort. Trying to fight could force him over the edge, in more ways than one. He _had_ to get back to the cliff face, and get back ahead of his adversary. He could see Rowanclaw in his mind, laughing at his predicament. He growled in frustration...

And then the idea sparked in his mind. Fueled by Rowanclaw, no less. It was embarrassing, but less so than dying and having lost to Smoke; after all, Rowanclaw would never have to know.

_"Let's fight," meowed Smokepaw confidently, staring the older apprentice down._

_Rowanpaw smirked, his emerald eyes glinting with arrogance. "You honestly think you can beat me?" he drawled. "I'm going to be a warrior within the next moon, and you've been an apprentice for what, a moon and a half?" He paused to let the words sink in. "If you think challenging me will bring Tawnypaw back to you, you're very wrong. Your _defeat_ will only make her like you less."_

They had fought furiously, and somehow ended up in a pine tree on the outskirts of ShadowClan territory. Tawnypaw had seen them and followed worriedly, trailed by Cedarpaw and Talonpaw. Smokepaw had Rowanpaw teetering on the edge of a branch, and was forcing him back, back... a little further back and he would fall.

_"Be careful!" Tawnypaw cried out from underneath them._

_"Smokepaw, stop!" Talonpaw shrieked. "Rowanpaw might fall!"_

_"Relax, guys," meowed Cedarpaw calmly. "Rowanpaw'll pull it off. You'll see."_

_Rowanpaw feigned loss of balance, nearly tripping over the edge. Tawnypaw screamed. But then Rowanpaw leapt back at Smokepaw with surprising force, right at his head. Smokepaw ducked to avoid the blow, not knowing that was exactly what Rowanpaw wanted - the chestnut-furred apprentice using Smokepaw's crouched body as a springboard, and launched himself back up onto the tree trunk._

_"Isn't Rowanpaw so clever?" He could hear the snicker in Cedarpaw's voice all the way up in the treetops. Talonpaw and Tawnypaw bobbed their heads in agreement. "Though it was to be expected, fighting a new apprentice..."_

Rowanpaw had regained the advantage, and moments later, Smokepaw was falling, falling... the apprentices at the bottom of the tree scattered fearfully. When Smokepaw grudgingly admitted he couldn't walk, Talonpaw had scampered back to camp to get Littlecloud while Tawnypaw drifted between worrying about Smokepaw's broken paws and admiring Rowanpaw's clever victory.

Now, though, the situation was reversed. There would _not _be a repeat now of Smokepaw's defeat in the treetops, the apprentice assured himself. And he would use Rowanclaw's move to get out of his little situation.

He faked loss of footing, and Smoke took a step closer. And then, without warning, Smokepaw leapt straight at Smoke. The brown tabby instinctively ducked, and Smokepaw landed right on top of him, then pushed off and back onto the cliff face.

"Nice try." Smokepaw laughed arrogantly. "But I win."

"Maybe the battle, but not the war," Smoke murmured darkly, and swore under his breath.

The chase restarted, and the two rivals fought their way up the perilous rock face.

--

**Smokepaw's flashbacks are references to his dream in Chapter 22, his talk with Earthroot in Chapter 20, and of course his kithood in ShadowClan. :)**

**The next chapter is finished, and Chapter 40 is half-written. I'm really getting caught up in it now... meaning it'll be done soon :( But the best is yet to come. **

**Moonstar**


	39. Deja Vu

**I love you all! Great review turnout for the last chapter. You guys have no idea how happy you make me. ;) And so, here we go with chapter 39!**

**Loup D'Amour:** no pun intened indeed. :P Nice little story, I've always wanted to just END it. "Smokepaw fought Smoke, threw a rock at him... the end." Except it would bother me incredibly until I finished. xP

**Twitchtail13:** --twitches-- it'll be over sooner than you think, sadly. :(

**Soren-silverwolf:** I don't think I can resist leaving out Earthroot for much longer, but be patient... :) And don't we all hope Smokepaw wins, but... --hides from spoilers--

**Minty: **o.O melting eyes. (ducks away from more spoilers)

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire: **I know what you mean... and the cliffies won't be cliffies. xD How sad would that be?

**Tawnyleaf:** yet again, no pun intended...

**Rockclaw:** heh, the author has absolutely no control over these cats. (tries to kill Smoke) (Smoke twists away and breaks nose) oww...

**Shadow of the Nights:** 'kay... and I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to need to rewrite this at some point. Just no idea when I'll get to it...

**jarrtail: **--sniff-- (hides from MORE spoilers)

**Dappledcloud:** CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD!! --huggles-- yes, I definitely read the whole thing, and I loooooooove choco chip nana bread... :D

**Taelia Crim:** happy you enjoyed it. Good luck starting up on fanfiction! --flips--

As a congrats gift for all of you who, somehow, are still here... Smokepaw and Smoke plushies all around. :) (Both have growling squishy-paws)

**Chapter 39**

"Smokepaw!" Leaf lurched forwards, every part of her aching to stand at the cliff below Smokepaw and catch him if he fell, denying the fact that trying to catch him would not only be futile, but also kill them both.

"Leaf, stop!" Wood grabbed her by the scruff, and he and Willow pulled her back.

"No, you stop!" she meowed deliriously. "Smokepaw's in _danger!_ We need to help him!"

"Leaf, calm down!" Willow urged. "Please! This is so strange, you've always been the voice of reason, you're supposed to be keeping us in line, not the other way around..."

"Besides, there's nothing we can do to help," Wood deadpanned. "This fight is obviously meant to be between them, and trying to _catch _him would get you both squashed like bugs."

"Thanks for the insight, Frost," Willow growled, giving his friend an odd sideways look as if to say _you could at least __**pretend **__to think positively._

Wood was about to protest that he wasn't Frost and Willow was going insane, and then the implication caught up to him, and the words died in his throat. His eyes met Willow's, and then he noticed that Leaf was gazing at them both with that _Leaf_ look.

"She's giving us her _look_," whispered Willow, echoing his thoughts.

The Leaf-look couldn't be easily described; it was a sort of mix between _I'm going to __**kill **__both of you idiots_ and _aww you two are so cute! _and _why don't you __**listen **__to me?! _and _I feel so sorry for you guys..._ he remembered getting the Leaf-look so many times back in the prison den, even back in Water Tribe, when they had been care-free and innocent, but then the look had never been with the fondness it had now.

"You guys..." she was at a loss for words. "It's been so... _much_... everything we've done..." They both eyed her oddly, waiting for her to get to the point she obviously had. "And Smokepaw... for him to _die_ after all we've been through... I don't know if I can live with that."

"Leaf." Willow placed a tail across her shoulder. "Do you..."

"Love him?" Wood completed.

Leaf looked down at her paws. "I don't know... but there's just _something _about him..."

"You love him," Willow stated.

Wood's face turned into a broken half-grin. "Well, this is great for him! If - when he gets down from there alive, he'll have a _she-cat..."_

"Wood!" Leaf protested.

"And then they'll have _kits_," Willow added, grinning broadly. "You think you could name one Willow?"

"No! Stop!" Leaf meowed vehemently. "And why in Sky Tribe's name would I name my kit after _you?_"

"So you _are_ planning on having kits."

"What - no!"

"But you just said -"

"No!"

"And -"

"You know what?" Leaf snapped. "You're not one to talk, Wood, tom-who-stares-at-a-she-cat-and-looks-away-blushing-furiously-when-she-comes-anywhere-near-him."

"Tawny has nothing to do with this -"

Willow burst out laughing. Despite everything, despite Smokepaw perhaps dangling at death's door, Willow cracked up. "Wood, that was just about the stupidest possible way you could have responded to that."

And then Leaf was laughing too, her green eyes sparkling - and the laughter was contagious, and soon the three of them were laughing with stolen joy.

"What's so funny?" Heads drooping and eyes tired and dull, Flake and Reed came up behind them, but even they looked a bit happier at the sight of three cats laughing their tails off.

"Nothing, nothing..." Willow waved a paw to dismiss it, but then the giggles caught up with him again.

"Well..." Flake and Reed exchanged a look. "Just know, we're on delicate ice," Flake informed them. "Leopard told me. I think there used to be a lake here or something. It's been frozen over for a while, but for some reason the ice seems thinner..." Instinctively, everyone looked down at the ground their paws stood on. "No, it won't break under our weight, I think. You'd have to jump and stomp on it real hard. But that's why no one should run forward."

"Thanks," Willow meowed. "Did you guys find Dark?"

"Yeah, he's out stone-cold," Flake mewed. "Lost a lot of blood, Adder said, but she's absolutely certain he'll live."

"She was trying to convince herself," Reed whispered, a shadow of doubt in his tone. "Frost wasn't as sure."

They were interrupted by an anguished cry from Leaf. "I lost sight of Smokepaw!" she cried. "They turned off into the chasm!" Five pairs of eyes looked up that way, but none of them could find the two fighters. Leaf stared hopefully up towards the sky, praying for a glimpse of the cat she thought she might love.

Her bright green eyes sparkled with worry. "I hope he's alright," she whispered.

Willow opened his mouth to reply, but someone else spoke first. "They've gone!" It was Duskroot. How in Sky Tribe's name was he still _alive?_ "We must settle this amongst ourselves!"

"Fishbrained wildclaw!" Reed shouted impulsively. "Stop trying to restart the fighting!"

But Reed's accusation was in vain; Duskroot's words had sparked conflicts and tempers, and Reed's had only fueled them. Suddenly the black tom found himself fighting again, the sides still blurred and undefined, and couldn't help but think that some cats were fighting simply for the sake of fighting.

Impatient after the disappearance of Smoke and Smokepaw, more and more cats joined in. It looked to Flake like it was Water against Ice again, rather rebels against Mud and company, since the cats had taken to the idea that representitives of their Tribe were up there in the cliffs fighting for dominance of the Snowlands. It was only right that they should fight amongst themselves as well.

Leaf was forced to take her eyes off Smokepaw, or lack of thereof, and focus on defending herself. As she fought, she silently pleaded, _please, please be safe... and get back here already! I don't know how much of this we can take!_

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Creek, reeling backwards with gaping gash on her throat. Leaf frantically moved towards her, but the path was cut off by yet another fighter.

The chaos wrapped around them like drowning, choking water. The fighting was speratic and unclear; half the cats fighting didn't know _who _they were fighting, only that they _had _to fight. Creek coughed up blood, staring into the hateful eyes of an Ice Tribe fighter.

"Traitor," he spat, and moved to swipe again at her throat. The calico trainee was dizzy and disoriented, feeling the blood rush to her ears, and couldn't make a move to defend herself if she tried. All she could do was screw her eyes shut and brace herself.

The young trainee wasn't afraid of Sky Tribe; she admired her fighting ancestors with a passion. She'd only hoped she'd have a bit more time to set her paws on solid ground before joining their ranks. Okay, maybe more than a bit. She was eight moons old, the same age as Tawny, as well as the tawny-furred trainee's distant kin - they shared the same grandmother, if Creek remembered correctly. But now, she knew with a painful certainty, she would never see Tawny or anyone else again.

Trailing off in her thoughts, Creek thought she heard a distant voice calling her name, and then a scream. The claw of the Ice Tribe fighter never hit her, and she cautiously opened her eyes... to see Raccoon splayed in front of her.

Creek echoed his scream. There in front of her, her trainer and best friend was standing numb with the enemy's claw _in _his neck. Cold realization hit her; he'd taken the death blow for her. She watched in horror as the evil, cruel, disgusting - so, so many words to describe him - fighter pulled his claw from her mentor's throat. She collapsed at his side, pouring tears into his pelt, and didn't even notice the cause of her pain padding away in satisfaction.

Her own vision was growing blurry and spotted, but she licked vainly at his wound anyhow. She wanted Raccoon to open his eyes, his stunning amber eyes, just once more. She'd heard that before a cat died, _especially _after taking the death strike for another, they lived for a few stolen moments; long enough to tell the cat they saved they loved them and to go on without them, and long enough to say goodbye. But it seemed that dramatic moment was only in stories and fairytales, because Creek suddenly realized with a painful electric jolt that Raccoon's pulse was gone.

At least he had died quickly and hopefully without pain... but _why?_ Had he really valued her life more than his own? The life of his trainee - no, she wasn't only his trainee. She was his hunting partner, his confident, his best friend; and something more? Creek wished that he had lived for those few extra seconds, so she could have asked. She knew how she felt about him, but she wasn't sure the feelings were mutual, or even appropriate. It was wrong for a trainee to lust for their trainer; it could interfere with training and with fighting, as here it so clearly had.

She told herself he wouldn't have done that - given his life for hers - if he hadn't felt something at least equivilant to deep friendship for her. But how could he be so _stupid?_ Didn't he see that she was _already going to die?_ And even if she wasn't, that she didn't want to live without him? She sobbed into his bloody pelt. Stupid, stupid furball. Her head spun, and suddenly she couldn't see anymore. She felt the breath leaving her body, and wondered if this was how Raccoon had felt only seconds before.

She wondered if he had loved her. She didn't even know if _she_ loved him. She was lost and confused, hanging on the edge between life and death. She supposed, since he hadn't lived long enough to tell her, she'd just have to ask him in Sky Tribe.

Creek exhaled peacefully, and went still.

.**.**.

Flake found Raccoon and Creek lying together amidst the chaos. His eyes filled with large, wet tears that flowed relentlessly down his cheeks. He had lived with the fantasy that despite everything, all the cats precious to him would come out of this alive; and there, right in front of him, was evidence that proved him so horribly wrong.

He prayed more passionately than he had ever prayed before, for Smokepaw's victory. Smokepaw had to win now, so Raccoon and Creek's deaths wouldn't be in vain. If they did end up dying for nothing, Flake thought he might go mad.

o**o**o

Smokepaw, unaware of the chaos unfolding hundreds of foxlengths down on the ground below him, scampered further up the cliff face. The going was getting exponentially harder; the footholds were much fewer and further between, the rock face was getting smoother and slicker with the altitude, _and_ he had a furious killer hot on his heels. One slip and he'd fall a thousands of foxlengths to his death, one hesitation and he'd be crowfood.

And, as if that wasn't enough, it had begun to sleet. Freaking _sleet_. It certainly wasn't helping his grip on the rock any, and the heavy, harsh droplets of ice and snow pelted his frosted fur and made his eyes sting. Smokepaw would have wondered how the situation could possibly be _any _worse, except he suspected the second he whispered his thoughts into the frozen air, _something _would happen to prove him wrong. So Smokepaw kept up his relentless pace, hoping to reach the top before one of the millions of things threatening to kill him succeeded.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. Once he reached the top, he could go after the Clans. Initially he'd thought he'd never be able to climb straight up the vertical face, but faced with the do or die situation, he was finding himself capable. Once he was at the top, he could push Smoke over the edge to his death, and then never go back down; how would he ever get back down anyways? The Tribes would find Smoke's body and think that Smokepaw had died at the top, and they would all be none the wiser.

He would never, ever go back down; he'd go off and search for ShadowClan. He felt a burning need to see Talonpaw alive, to be assured that his brother hadn't been killed by the ferocious rogues from his dream. He felt a sudden wave of homesickness, to go back to the way things were. To go back to the apprentice den back home, to train relentlessly to become a warrior, and proudly serve his Clan. To perhaps win Tawnypelt. He wasn't sure if the wetness on his face was caused by his tears or the sleet. No, it had to be the sleet...

Smokepaw wanted to go_ home_, damn it.

But first he had to get off this rock face. There was no way he and Smoke were going to fight on a vertical surface in the pouring sleet and limited light; he needed to reach the top and manage not to slip. Maybe, if he was lucky, Smoke _would _lose his grip, and Smokepaw wouldn't even have to deal with fighting him. But the ShadowClan apprentice knew better than to count on such luck.

He squinted his eyes against the sleet, and continued pushing himself upwards. He risked a glance down, to see if Smoke was still with him - and fox dung, he was. The brown blur he could barely makeout through the whirlwind of rain and snow seemed to making moderate progress. With a snarl of annoyance, Smokepaw forced himself onwards.

After what seemed like _moons_, Smokepaw's soaked, numb, frozen paws scraped a flat surface. The top? The apprentice dragging himself over the edge to see a world of white and clear liquird in the pouring sleet, but yes, he was at the top. A strange sort of euphoric joy filled him for a moment, and then he collapsed. He could barely feel any part of his body; he felt like just a frozen, numb lump. He was _freezing_ cold, and ice water dripped from his frost-coated fur. He gave a violent shiver, but was slightly warmed by the fact that Smoke was enduring the same conditions as he.

The smoke-eyed tom pulled himself over about a minute after Smokepaw. Smokepaw had taken his opportunity to rest and catch his breath, but had no intention of giving Smoke such a chance. With the wind howling in his ears and sleet mercilessly pelting his fur, Smokepaw charged at the tabby pulling himself over the edge with a wild, crazed look in his flaming yellow eyes.

Smoke was quicker to regain himself than Smokepaw. He shook the paralysis out of his frozen limbs, and nimbly dodged his attacker, forcing the pain of movement to the back of his mind. They were both fueled by pure fury, hatred and adrenaline rush - without those factors, neither would have been able to even lift a paw.

They exchanged a series of fierce swipes, blocks, slashes - duck, dodge, weave - lunge, tackle, turn - kick, jab, spin. Neither felt even slightly tired as they continued at a breakneck, heart-stopping pace. Their worlds were filled with nothing but the torrent of sleet and the enemy opposite them, whom each hated and wanted to destroy with a fire powerful enough to melt all the ice in the Snowlands.

And then, it all seemed to come to a shattering stand-still, like an invisible avalanche crashing over their heads. Smoke slipped - his back paws had hit the edge. But Smokepaw forced him further back, and the brown tabby fell backwards over the edge of the cliff.

With a yowl of sheer terror, literally feeling the ground come out from beneath his paws, Smoke made a desperate grab for the cliff; and somehow managed to grab hold. His clawtips fastened onto the ledge, and he dangled on the border of life and death from the clifftop.

There was no ledge this time to save him as Smokepaw had been saved. There was no more luck to be spared. Smoke was going to die.

"How does it feel?" Smokepaw yowled above the roaring wind and pouring sleet. The wind whipped his fur this way and that, giving him a wild, ferocious look to go with the deadly triumph in his blazing yellow eyes. "How does it feel to die, like the cats you killed?"

Smoke's paws swayed in the violent wind as he clung desperately to the cliff. He snarled weakly in reply, whatever words he used to curse Smokepaw lost in the wind.

Smokepaw laughed bitterly. He walked slowly, cautiously up to his defeated enemy, preparing to claw his desperate paws free of their grip. "It's over." He shook the ice from his claws. "You've lost."

"I may not win," Smokepaw growled, almost inaudibly over the howl of the wind. "But I _won't_ lose." The wind almost dragged him from the cliff edge, but he held on in the face of the sleet pelting his fur.

Smokepaw lifted a claw to dislatch Smoke's. Then all of a sudden... the next five seconds seemed to happen in a blink. Smoke reached out with the last of his strength, and grabbed Smokepaw's raised leg between his teeth. Smokepaw twisted wildly to free himself, but Smoke had attacked with the strength of a dying cat's last act, rumored to be the most powerful of a cat's life. His grip was impossible to break.

The ice cracked and began to shatter beneath Smokepaw's paws. The apprentice tried to turn and run, to escape the breaking cliff like he'd failed to do all those moons ago, but Smoke held him tight. And then, as the ground beneath their paws shattered, Smoke closed his eyes and let go, his rival's claw held tight in his jaws.

As the apprentice felt himself being dragged over the edge, to his death, to failure and the destruction of his dreams, he could have sworn he heard a weary yet fiery voice whispering in his ear, "Let's just call it a draw." And then he was falling, falling, so lost...

He felt a horrible, deadly, near indescribable sense of terrifying, panicking deja vu. Here he was again - the ground had fallen out from beneath his paws, and he was spiralling downwards through the air amidst several sharp spears of broken ice tearing and cutting at his fur. Smoke, in freefall, finally lost his grip on his enemy's paw, but it was too late.

They were both falling to their deaths.

--

--

**Talk about a cliffie, right? No pun intended, of course. --holds up tennis racquet to squash tomatoes being thrown--**

**Notes: Raccoon and Creek. **Umm, sorry, someone had to die... I mean, how realistic would it be if all the good guys magically came away unscathed?

Hehehehehe, cliffie cliffie cliffie! That's got to be the evillest one EVER. Don't worry, the next chapter's written, and will be up soon... so don't go die or anything. ;P

Moonstar


	40. Rainbow in the Cliffs

**Ok, this is one emotional-packed-fluffyness chapter, so... let's get to it. :)**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire:** s'okay, Smokepaw tends to have that effect on people...

**dragonqueenc:** --grins wickedly-- who says I wouldn't kill Smokepaw? --bursts into tears--

**Cinnamonpool:** Oh, I would love for Smokepaw to live, but you'll have to talk to Smoke about it. And the air. And gravity. It's really not _my _choice...

**Twitchtail13:** what's with everyone hating and wanting to kill the author? xD The author, for the zillionth time, has nothing to do with this! Blame Smoke, blame gravity, blame ice, blame fate... but _why _the author?

**Soren-silverwolf:** hmm. Chocolate cake, Smokepaw. Chocolate cake, Smokepaw. Cake, Smokepaw. Hard to decide. ;)

**Foxfire of MoonClan:** haha, sorry about your library troubles. :) Break in and get locked in at night and then you'll have it forever!! Mwahahahaha...

**Minty:** --runs away in fear-- I'm not so sure why you all want to kill me - okay, maybe I am - but honestly... --ducks into bomb shelter--

Yes, I incorperated a song into the chapter. Weird, I know, but you'll see, it just _works._ Song Credit: Time of My Life, David Cook. If you don't like the song or are bothered by lyrics in stories, just ignore it. :)

**Chapter 40**

_I've been waiting for my dreams_

_To turn into something_

_I could believe in_

Leaf was fighting desperately against an Ice Tribe trainee when out of the corner of her eye, through the pouring sleet and whitewashed world, she thought she saw two blurs _falling _from the top of the cliff.

No, she thought, I _have _to be seeing it wrong, because of the sleet...

But the cat she was fighting also turned to look, and the cats around them also caught on, and the diversion spread like a ripple. Soon the wave of heads and claws was turning in the direction of the cliff. Just then, the sleet chose to let up, but Leaf didn't notice that or the light rainbow stretching over the cliffs as her vision cleared. She blinked and made out Smokepaw, her Smokepaw, tumbling to his death through her ice-coated lashes.

_And looking for that magic rainbow on the horizon_

_I couldn't see it until I let go._

"Smokepaw!" she yowled, and despite her freezing paws, she was sprinting towards him in a heartbeat.

She was not surprised to see Wood and Willow appear at her side, dashing with speed they didn't know they possessed. Not even the night they escaped Ice Tribe had they run this fast, but no matter how fast they ran, the three trainees were no match for gravity.

It appeared that Smoke had fallen first, for he was a precious few foxlengths lower than Smokepaw on his journey to death. But none of them took it into account as they scrambled across the thin ice, denying in the back of their minds that even if they got there in time, the two of them would still be done for.

With an explosion of ice shards and light reflecting in every direction, Smoke hit the ice. It shattered beneath him in a flurry of spears, and the three trainees skidded to a stop and watched in awe. Willow was the only one to remember what Flake had told them about being on delicate ice and there being water beneath them.

And just a split second after Smoke's free-falling form shattered the ice, Smokepaw splashed loudly into the water. With the incredible speed he'd picked up, the splash was absolutely huge, managing to catch the three trainees standing several foxlengths away in its icy swipe. It would have been beautiful - the brilliant explosions of ice and water - had Smokepaw not been dying at the epicenter.

"Smokepaw!" all three of them screamed at once, and were darting forward. Leaf didn't even pause to think before diving head-first into the water, and Wood and Willow were quick to follow.

The ice water hit Wood harder than a falling boulder ever could. It chilled him right down to his very bones, and made him just want to curl up and sink, but he forced his eyes open and limbs to move. Cats were afraid of water by nature, and swimming did not come naturally, but when Wood caught sight of two shadows within the crystalline depths, he swam towards them swift as a fish.

It was only as he reached the two unconscious bodies, floating in the depths of time, that he realized his body needed _air._ He sucked in a breath, only to inhale water, and choked. His senses went hay-wire, his vision went dark, and he recognized the sensation as _drowning..._

But then Leaf and Willow were at his side, waving their tails against him, slamming their paws at his back. Wood forced himself to awaken, if only for ten more seconds, long enough to rescue his friend... and his brother.

When Wood regained function, Leaf and Willow had each already slung one of Smokepaw's limp paws over their own and were swimming upwards, eyes bulging with moisture and lungs gasping desperately for air. Leaf flicked her ears upwards, gesturing for Wood to follow - but the dusty-brown trainee wasn't finished yet.

He propelled himself down four more foxlengths, low enough to grab the remaining sinking form by the scruff. And then he pushed, pulled upwards towards the surface with all his remaining might.

The blackness was threatening to overtake him, and he felt the grip on his brother loosening... he wasn't going to make it. But the thought itself was numbed by the dark water, and he didn't even feel the set of teeth on his scruff as he blacked out.

-

__

_Gave in to love and watched all the bitterness burn_

_Now I'm coming alive_

_Body and soul_

_And feeling my world start to turn._

Reed hauled Wood out of the water and laid him gently on the stable ice. Flake leaned in to pull out the cat he was carrying - and almost spit him back in when he realized who it was.

"Wood was _rescuing_ the wildclaw!" Flake fumed, but soon calmed himself down, and dragged Smoke's limp, soaking body over to where Smokepaw was lying circled by his allies. No, by his _friends_.

Reed wanted to just throw Smoke back into the water, truly feeling that the murderer deserved it, but forced himself to stay quiet. Flake set Smoke's body away from Smokepaw and Wood, who were being hovered over by Leaf, Willow, and many other approaching cats.

"Smokepaw's alive!" Leaf yowled frantically, finding the ShadowClan apprentice's weak, yet present, pulse. "Help, what do we do?" Smokepaw's pulse was fading fast, and she had no idea how to save him...

And then Frost was beside her, as he always seemed to be whenever they needed him to save them from the brink of death. He calmly pressed his paws firmly, but not too hard, into Smokepaw's chest, and water leaked out his mouth. Leaf clung to Willow in terror as Frost pressed with his paws again.

The herb trainee muttered something about avoiding his wounds, and moved over to the side before he pressed again. His paws were capable and confident, and Leaf couldn't help but relax a tiny bit - but only a tiny bit. And then Smokepaw coughed.

He _coughed._

Water spurted out his mouth and broke into a violent coughing fit. And then he was coughing blood. The scarlet-tinged water pooled around his lips as he continued to cough uncontrollably. Leaf burst into tears, but Frost silenced her with a flick of his tail.

"Coughing is good," the herb trainee explained tiredly, as Smokepaw's coughing fit momentarily stopped and he slipped back into unconsciousness. "It means he's breathing, his throat's working, and he's getting all the water out. Leave him alone, but keep an eye on him. Call for me if he's still coughing out blood in a few minutes, or if he does something _stupid..._ like stop breathing." Leaf gave him an odd, but immensely relieved look, contemplating the hidden meaning he had placed behind the words.

The herb cat moved over to Wood and applied the same process as he had with Smokepaw, which came much easier since he hadn't been under as long. The soaked dusty-brown tom began to cough as well, spitting out the moisture clogging his lungs. His heavy eyelids fluttered open, and his dilated pupils flickered rapidly back and forth with confusion until they settled on Frost's face.

"Smokepaw," he rasped. "S'he 'okay?"

"Yeah," Frost replied quietly. "You just rest -"

"An' Smoke," Wood persisted. "S'he - s'he..." he couldn't get the words out of his mouth, but Frost knew what he meant. The herb trainee moved slowly over to Smoke's limp form, and didn't even have to check for a pulse to know he was dead. Blood poured from the side of his body that had hit the ice, and Frost guessed he had been killed on impact. His stone-gray eyes were glazed over, and held a haunting glow in their depths. Frost gave in involuntary shiver.

Lucky for Smokepaw, Smoke had fallen first - it probably saved his life. Water was _much _softer than solid, spiky ice.

"He's gone, Wood," Frost whispered to his friend. For the first time in his life, the ice-eyed trainee was filled with sorrowful _sympathy,_ the desire to do _anything_ to make a cat feel better, especially a cat like Wood, who'd been through so much and had now lost one of the only cats he had left.

"He tried to kill Smokepaw," Frost attempted. "At least Smokepaw won -"

"No, I know that!" Wood choked out, still unable to move. His voice lowered to a near inaudible whisper. "But I wanted to say sorry... and I wanted him to forgive me. I wanted everything to be okay, and now it never will." Wood broke down into tears, and slowly cried himself back into unconsciousness.

Frost licked gently at his fur to provide warmth, and maybe some comfort, but Wood was beyond any of his efforts. Eventually, the herb trainee gave up, and went on to tending to the wounded from battle.

Wood would find himself again, Frost told himself. He had to. But then, Wood always seemed to find a way, and the herb cat knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he had no reason to worry. Because Wood was _Wood._

_-_

_Holding onto the things that vanished into the air_

_Left me in pieces_

_But now I'm rising from the ashes_

_Finding my wings_

_And all that I needed was there all along_

_Within my reach_

_As close as the beat of my heart._

Reed found Adder leaning on a sleeping Leopard, both of them collapsed at Dark's side. The rebel leader, normally so strong, so bold, so full of life, lay eerily still on his side, looking strangely small and fragile. Though even in death, he maintained a powerful aura, that of a true leader and a loyal friend.

"Is he..."

"Yeah..." Adder whimpered into her paws. "There... there was nothing we could do..." she sobbed loudly. "It's not fair! After everything he's done, he deserved to see this..." she buried her nose in Reed's pelt. The black-furred tom stood still and let her empty her tears into his already cold, wet fur, standing shocked and still in his own grief.

Leopard had fallen asleep with her head resting on his flank, his side that would never rise and fall again. Adder looked at the pair of them with wide, tearing green eyes and overwhelming sorrow. "We... me and Frost... we should've..."

"No, don't blame yourself," whispered Reed, his eyes still stuck on Dark's still form. "He achieved his goal... he defeated Stoneice... and we've _won_... that's all he wanted."

"You don't think he wanted his _life?"_ Adder snapped tearfully, loudly sniffing in the snot running down her muzzle.

Reed paused. "No. I think his life was pretty far down on the list of things he wanted to come out of this with." He sat down slowly next to the sniffling trainee, his amber eyes soft with sympathy and sorrow. "I think he would have traded his life any day for our victory."

Adder gazed up at the white-blue sky, and found the soft rainbow gently laying itself across the cliffs. The black tom looked closely, and could barely make out the ghost of a broken half-grin on her muzzle.

"He'd be proud of the outcome," Reed whispered, laying his tail on hers comfortingly. "Because you _know_ he's watching."

Somewhere up within the clouds and stars, a dark-furred tom, and the silver she-cat by his side, smiled.

-

_And I'm out on the edge of forever_

_Ready to run_

_I'm keeping my feet on the ground_

_My arms open wide_

_My face to the sun_

As Frost wrapped a bleeding cat's paw in cobwebs, a thought struck him. The prophecy, the prophecy had come true. Suddenly it all worked out in his head, fitting together like puzzle pieces. It was the type of puzzle that seemed really difficult, but once you put it together it looked incredibly obvious. He hastily finished the white fighter's paw and ran off to find Leaf and Willow, who were still crouched at Smokepaw's side.

"I got it," he gasped breathlessly. "The prophecy."

A pair of pale and lime green eyes gazed up at him in wonder, their eyes voicing the question: how? Neither Tribe had been "defeated", per se. They were both still alive and well, if not lacking their leaders and second in commands. And neither Smokepaw nor Smoke had stood up and decimated their ranks with the super-catlike power expected of the prophecy cat.

"_Falling smoke will shatter the ice and shaded talons will splash into water, and only one will remain,"_ Frost recited excitedly. Excited. Frost. The two words were generally never found within ten miles of each other. Leaf and Willow exchanged confused, flustered glances.

"We were all digging too deep for the meaning - the prophecy only meant what it said," Frost explained, forcing his voice to slow down in the excitement. "Falling Smoke - that would be Smoke - fell out of the sky and _shattered the ice_, which saved Smokepaw's life. Once the ice was shattered, Smokepaw _splashed into water_ -"

"So Smokepaw really was the Shaded Talons?" Leaf asked, her expression bright but unreadable.

Frost nodded, and was about to continue, but Willow interrupted. "How is _Smokepaw_ the Talons? How is he like a Talon at all?"

Frost really hadn't figured this part out. He paused to think - but Leaf got it first. Her eyes lit up with the revelation. "There are a thousand things that make him the Shaded Talons!" she breathed. "There were the owl's talons, which saved his life in his initial fall. And then remember in Water Tribe, when he lied and said his name was Talon? And he's obviously shaded, besides his fur, I would go so far as to call him emotionally shaded, and his conscience is like a Talon -"

"I think you're looking a little _too_ deep, Leaf," Willow interjected with a wry grin.

"But she _is_ right on the first part," Frost meowed. "And with Smokepaw being the Shaded Talons, he splashed into water -"

"And great Sky Tribe did he splash." Willow punctuated his statement with an appreciative whistle.

Frost glared at him. "Stop interrupting me. Anyways, only one remained - Smoke died, Smokepaw is alive. And _yes_, Leaf, he'll live. He may be out for awhile... but he'll live."

Leaf's terrified, questioning expression relaxed at the confidence in Frost's tone. It was hard to doubt such firm reassurence, and the look in her eyes thanked him for it.

Her mind wandered, and she remembered their similar bickering back in the prison den. Frost's glaring, Willow interrupting, Leaf's concern... _Some things_, she thought, _never change._ "So the prophecy had _nothing_ to do with the defeat of the Tribes?" she meowed with confusion, and slight disappointment.

Frost shook his head. "Directly, no. But indirectly..."

"Indirectly, it looks like Water Tribe won, because Smokepaw survived," Willow completed.

"And now that this whole thing is over, both Tribes'll get new leadership."

"_Good_ leadership, I hope," Leaf added.

There was a pause. They all wondered the same thing: _who?_

But that was another thought, another plan for another day. For now, they needed to focus on the aftermath, and picking up the pieces. They needed to focus on Smokepaw, healing the wounded, and healing the emotional wounds, and bringing cats together.

Leaf looked up to the sky and took a deep refreshing breath of cool, crisp air, and finally noticed the rainbow, now glowing brilliantly across the cliffs. It wasn't the end - no, not even close. It was simply the end of the beginning.

_-_

_So I'll taste every moment a__nd live it out loud_

_I know this is the time, this is the time_

_To be more than a name _

_Or a face in the crowd_

_I know this is the time_

_This is the time of my life._

_-_

_-_

_-_

**I almost didn't include that last part till next chapter, but hey, you guys deserve a little extra. :)**

**Song notes: **So I've never incorperated a song into a chapter before, but I've seen it done. Personally I never liked it, but... I've had this chapter sitting for awhile and it seemed like it was missing something... I looked around for a quote to place at the end, but nothing seemed right, and this song just seemed to _fit._ I debated whether to save it for the end of the chapter, or just the end of the story altogether, but I decided to give something new a shot. Feedback is greatly appreciated. (and if you guys don't like it, I might take it away)

Next chapter: epilogue. (gasp) I know, I know, scary, isn't it? Till then,

Moonstar


	41. Epilogue

**Iceleaf:** I actually thought of doing one-shots like that, and in this story, but I liked the way this epilogue worked out. Thanks for the enchilada! --nummy-- xD

**Cinnamonpool:** aww c'mon, you _still _want to kill me? Last chapter wasn't even a cliffie! --hides from flaming pitchfork--

**Lakeshadow:** evil person for avoiding the cliffies. Don't bite your nails, I learned from, uh, experience... T.T

**Loup D'Amour:** ooh, I definitely _will _keep writing. --feeds the plot bunnies running around in my head-- they're so cute when they nibble on their carrots like that...

**Minty:** yay, someone who _doesn't_ want to kill me! --glomp-- glad you like the conversation. I think it was my favorite too. xD

**Twitchtail13:** I know, right? Sadly, it's true... but don't worry, it's not the end, it's just the end of the beginning!

**dragonqueenc:** --snuffle-- how _could _I kill Smokepaw? --huggles-- I think it's just not possible. ;)

**jenny:** if you want to write fan fiction, that's great! Just get a story idea - a _good _idea, not like "blank is in love with blank aaaaagh what do we do?" plan out the plot - and then write it! But make sure you have proper grammar, spelling, capitalization, etc., otherwise some people (i.e. me) won't be able to read it. Good luck! :)

**Gethernia:** I've also always found songs annoying, but... they're easy enough to avoid and skip over. It was an experiment, and yeah, it's just for that chapter. Thanks for the feedback. :)

**Rockclaw:** "Smoke-Lots of sharp ice!" --rolls on the floor laughing-- Smoke: hey, I'm dead! You can't laugh at me! Me: --shrug-- sorry. --continues laughing-- xP

**Tanglepelt of ShadowClan:** it's okay you came in late, you're here now! Thanks for joining the party! ;)

**Epilogue**

_Nine Moons Later_

"Tell us a story, Uncle Wood."

The black and brown furred trainee's bright amber eye was wide as ever as he curled up against his uncle.

The tortoiseshell she-cat sitting next to him shot him a reproachful glare. "Stop being so kit-like, Owl. We're going to become fighters tomorrow."

The dusty-brown tom sitting between them purred with amusement. He gazed out at the stars from the icy ledge they sat on, giving them a view for hundreds of foxlengths around of the powdery snow sparkling in the moonlight. "It's alright, Bracken. Stories aren't kit-like. They're exciting and fun, and need to be told. That's why they're called stories." He laid his head in his paws. "What story do you want to hear?"

"The Great Battle," Owl chirped excitedly, his single eye sparkling bright as the snow. "Smokepelt said it happened in _these_ cliffs."

A smiled flittered through Wood's eyes. "That's right." He inhaled deeply. "So, shall I start from the beginning?"

Owl nodded eagerly, and Bracken gave a flick of her tail, but her uncle could tell she was excited. She sat down next to him and rested her muzzle on his back, settling in for a long story.

Wood lifted his head to gaze upwards into the cliffs. "It all started when this cat fell out of the sky..."

The two trainees, soon to be fighters, listened in awe to their uncle's tale. From Leaf's fall into the Freezepool, his exile with Smokepaw from Water Tribe, to the capture by Ice Tribe. From the trainees of Water Tribe who set out to rescue them, to the daring rebels of Ice Tribe who lived with their lives on the line. He recited the battles etched in his mind, the struggles engraved in his heart. And he went on, to more than the storyline.

He told them about Frost, the stoic yet kind herb cat the two trainees knew so well as Frost root, as the icy and friendless herb trainee who fought his trainer to the death and was dragged out of his isolated shell.

He told them about Willow, a cat so like himself, who the two trainees knew as a mentor and friend, as the spark who was always bright and optimistic in their darkest times.

He told them about Leaf, a cat the two trainees thought of as a mother figure, as the annoying little trainee who had found a protective fondness for the cats she had once hated, and learned to be a loyal friend.

He told them about Dark, the brave leader who stood up against the world for what he believed in and what was right, and who died for the future of those he loved.

He told them about Raccoon and Creek, who had died side by side fighting for their cause.

He told them about Flake, the kind-hearted tom who tried to see the best in everyone, and fought bravely against his will.

He told them about Reed, whom they knew as deputy of Ice Tribe, as the fiery-tempered fighter who let his emotions get the best of him, but whose heart lay in the right place in the end.

He told them about Tawny, the quiet she-cat who stole his heart.

At this, Owl interrupted. "How did you fall in love with Tawny, Uncle Wood?"

"Shut up, Owl!" Bracken scolded. "Let Uncle Wood finish!"

Wood shook his head fondly. "No, it's alright. I'll tell you..."

x

_"How's your paw?" Wood asked, gently licking the torn flesh as they sat beside the fresh kill pile._

_Tawny shook her head, blinking back a flood of tears. "Adder... she tried... but... she..." she sobbed into his fur. "She said I'd never be able to walk on it again."_

_"What? That's not such a big deal," Wood meowed, conjuring a casual, upbeat appearance despite his disappointment. "You'll still be able to walk on your other three paws, maybe even run, and hunt -"_

"No, I can't," she sniffed. "I... I don't know how..."

"So? You can learn." His eyes sparkled. "I'll teach you."

_  
She looked up at him with awe-struck, brilliant green eyes. "Really?" she whispered._

_"Really really."_

x

"You really taught her how to run and hunt again, Uncle Wood?"

"Obviously, Owl. You've _seen _her."

Wood laughed softly. "Yeah... it was while I was teaching her, that..."

x

_She tripped, only to fall into Wood's sturdy side. "You alright?" his breath was warm in her ear. Her own breath caught in her throat._

_"Y-yeah..." she stumbled back to her paws. The dusty-brown furred tom opened his mouth to speak. At first, no words came out, as if he was on mute, but he found his voice and forced out the words._

_"Tawny... I uh..." he choked on the words, as if he had swallowed them too fast. "I..." he paused. "Smokepelt told me - no, that's not right..." Tawny gazed at him expectantly, her eyes wide and confused. "Well, uh... I'm... just awkward, you know?"_

_Tawny shook her head obliviously. She _didn't _know._

_"Erm... never mind, then." Wood meowed, and they kept on walking. Tawny tried to forget the odd exchange, but the stammered, broken sentence kept playing over and over again in her mind. And she couldn't help but think how adorable he was when he stammered, when he looked as confused as she did, when his bright eyes widened. He had a sense of innocence, even after everything he'd been through, and his heart remained set on peace and kindness. It was her favorite quality of his, one they shared._

_She remembered Leopardsnow telling her she ought to say something to him. _You've liked him since the start,_ the leader of Ice Tribe told her. _You should tell him so.

_She supposed she might as well give it a try. "Wood..." he turned his head to her. "I... wanted to..." she suddenly realized she had _no idea _how to say what she wanted to. "I just... think... Leopardsnow..." she paused. "Never mind..." But she couldn't leave it alone. He would be willing to forget about the awkward moments, to move on and forget, but she couldn't just _forget. _She had to act. _

_"I like you!" she blurted out, then buried her muzzle in the snow in embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry..."_love _you."_

"No, it's okay," Wood whispered, his tail resting on her shoulder. "I... I like you too." He paused. "No, I don't like you." Tawny looked up at him with hurt confusion. "I don't like you - I think I

Her eyes widened. "Wood..."

x

"Eww, lovey-dovey," Owl snorted.

"Owl!" Bracken snapped. "Stop interrupting!"

"It's okay." Wood chuckled softly. "I still need to finish the original story, remember?"

"But what about Tawny?" Bracken persisted.

Wood shrugged. "She decided to stay with me in Water Tribe. And -"

"Did you make kits?" Owl interrupted.

"Fishbrain." Bracken looked at him like he was an idiotic newborn. "Do _you_ see Uncle Wood and Tawny with any kits?"

"No, I mean, did you, you know, the _process _of making kits -"

"Eww, Owl, shut up!"

"Err, anyways, on with the story..."

He led them on a riveting trail to the final battle, where Dark had squared off against Stoneice in front of every cat in the Snowlands, and Mud - their father - had tried to kill him. And he'd been saved by Smoke, his own brother, who then also tried to kill him - who had killed the two kits' mother and their sibling as well. But Smokepaw came to the rescue, and the two of them began the fight that determined all of their fates.

"Wait, why are you calling him Smokepaw?" asked Owl. "You're talking about Smokepelt, right?"

Wood nodded. "Well, it has to do with this tradition from the Clans Smokepelt came from..."

x

_Smokepaw watched with pride for his friends, but an underlying sense of envy as they all went through their fighter ceremonies and became full-fledged fighters of their Tribes. The new leaders of the two Tribes had decided to hold the fighter ceremonies for the trainees who had participated in the battle together, and both Tribes were gathered at the battle site for the occasion. Frostroot was the last to step down from the tree-branch; he had gone up a trainee, and come down the official herb cat of Water Tribe. He calmly sat beside his friend Adderroot, who had just become the herb cat of Ice Tribe._

_As Willow and Leaf eagerly accepted nose-touches of congratulations, Wood noticed his friend brooding off to the side. He approached him subtly, slipping away from the crowd. _

_"What's wrong, Smokepaw?" he asked softly._

_Smokepaw sighed. Wood was the only one he would ever confide in with information about the land he'd come from. "Back home, in my Clan... when an apprentice - trainee - was of age, they'd have a warrior - fighter - ceremony, like you do, and receive their warrior name." He looked forlornly down at the ground. "I'd always dreamed of getting my warrior name, but...I'll never have a warrior ceremony like you guys to begin with, let alone get a name."_

_Wood felt and understood his friend's sorrow, but an idea sparked inside him. "Who says you never will?" he meowed quietly. _

_And so Wood, because he was Wood, managed to set up a warrior ceremony for Smokepaw. Every cat from each Tribe came from across the Snowlands to see the formal recognition of the cat who had saved them all. After a long discussion with Leopardsnow, leader of Ice Tribe, who had devised a speech to give, and help from Smokepaw, Wood had come up with his friend's warrior name._

Something simple, not overly dramatic_, Smokepaw had instructed. Wood nodded - he had the name in mind._

_"You came from another land, but your courage and bravery saved our Tribes and brought peace to our land," meowed Leopardsnow in front of the cats of the Snowlands. "A cat of your caliber, of such determination and grit, deserves to become a fighter like every trainee. In accordance with the traditions of your homeland, we have decided to do your ceremony as they would have."_

_Smokepaw's eyes positively glowed. He had been waiting for this all his life, and the happiness that radiated around him warmed Wood to the core._

_"Smokepaw. Do you promise to uphold the ideals you live by, which include honestly, loyalty, peace, and love of your friends and allies?"_

_"I do."_

"Then I give you your Warrior name. From this day forth you shall be known as Smokepelt."

_"Smokepelt! Smokepelt!" Wood, Willow and Leaf chanted, and the other cats caught on. The chant spread like a ripple in water, buzzing across the snowdrifts. _

_"Smokepelt! Smokepelt! Smokepelt!" Smokepelt had never felt such joy in all his moons of life in ShadowClan or the Snowlands, never before felt so purely _alive.

x

"That's so cool!" Owl chirped. "I'll have to ask Smokepelt about his homeland some time..."

"Stop interrupting, fishbrain!" Bracken scolded.

"Uncle Wood was finished!"

"Not with the whole story!"

"No, Owl has a point," Wood meowed in his crippled nephew's defense. The torn ear rose with glee, his one eye brightening. The other eye remained horribly empty, a slitted socket, but by now Wood had gotten used to the small tom's appearance. "You would probably find out some really cool stuff from Smokepelt. Did you know that our modern Tribes were formed on the basis of his Clans?"

"Really?" the two trainees chorused.

"Yeah. After the war, it was Smokepelt who proposed a new system of governing in the Tribes, and new names for the leaders. The two leaders had only just been chosen - Leopard from Ice Tribe, and Pine from Water Tribe. He had them choose formal deputies - not informal second in commands, but actual deputies, recognized as next in line for leadership."

"Like Leaf and Reed?" asked Bracken. Wood nodded.

"Pine chose Cypress, and Leopard chose Reed. Cypress stepped down recently to join the elders, as you know, which is when Leaf became deputy."

"What about the leaders' names?" asked Bracken.

"Leopard was open to suggestions," Wood continued. "Both accepted deputies, but names were an issue. To be honest, Leopard really didn't want to carry the title of Ice on the end of her name, seeing as it came with such a history of tyranny. That's how they used to do it, you know - the leader of Ice Tribe had -ice on their name, and the leader of Water Tribe had -water. Well, Pine wanted to become Pinewater, but Leopard and Smokepaw talked her out of it, and decided that they should each take the same name, as a sign of peace and agreement. After _much _debate..." Wood grimaced as he remembered just _how _much debate. "They settled on -snow."

Bracken wrinkled her nose. "Pinesnow's _always _difficult. She's an annoying leader anyways."

Wood shrugged; he couldn't deny it. But Pines now was also an honorable cat, and the dusty-brown fighter felt compelled to defend his leader. "Yes, she is rather stubborn and haughty, but she truly is a good cat, and a strong leader," he meowed.

"I like Leopardsnow better," Owl grumbled.

Wood's tail swayed in agreement. "Leopardsnow's just an all-around great cat. You're lucky to know her, and that relationships are so good between the Tribes. It's only because of that that Leopardsnow visits so often, and you get to visit Ice Tribe."

Bracken waved it off. "_Everyone _visits Ice Tribe, Uncle Wood. A moon there is required before becoming a fighter, remember?"

"You're lucky kits. You have no idea."

None of them mentioned Owl's lack of an eye and an ear, or Amber and Mud's death. Because both trainees had been too young to remember the horror, and knew how lucky they truly were.

They sat in a pleasant silence for awhile, gazing calmly at the stars and moonlit snow. After a while, Bracken broke the silence with a quiet mew. "What happened to Smokepelt and Leaf, Uncle Wood?"

Wood's eyes clouded. "What do you mean?" he asked, as if he really did know.

Bracken rolled her sharp brown eyes. "It's obvious Leaf likes him, Uncle Wood. I know they're good friends, but... it seems like there was once something more."

Owl gave her a confused, oblivious look. "Bracken, sometimes you make no sense."

Wood shook his head. "No, Bracken's right. Let me explain something to you. Smokepelt has... _twisted _emotions, for lack of a better word. It was right when he woke up..."

x

_Smokepaw woke to a faint light, and two pairs of eyes staring down at him. As his vision cleared, he could make out one as ice-blue and the other as bright green._

_He groaned, suddenly painfully aware of the gash in his hind leg and the scrapes littering his pelt. A sharp pain his side made him gasp, but then he felt a something cool being pressed onto it. "Wh...where am I?" he croaked._

_"He's awake!" the green-eyed cat meowed excitedly._

_"Shhh! Give him some breathing room!" the ice-eyed cat scolded._

_Smokepaw blinked, his mind slowly registering the two cats as Frost and Leaf. "You're still out in the middle of the Snowlands," meowed Leaf. "Frost didn't want to move you till you woke up. He had us running back and forth all week bringing food, water, cobwebs..."_

_Frost rolled his eyes, but Smokepaw took no notice. He'd tuned out after "all week". "How long've I been out?" he rasped._

_"Seven days," meowed Frost gravely. "One week."_

"We thought you weren't going to make it," Leaf murmured.

_"No we didn't. I knew you were going to live," Frost snapped. "I made sure everything -"_

"I know, Frost," whispered Leaf. "You did everything, you were sure. But... there was still doubt..."

_Amidst their bickering, Smokepaw tried to push himself to his paws, only to collapse weakly back to the ground._

_"Smokepaw! Don't try to stand!" Leaf mewled, rushing to his side._

_Frost rolled his eyes. "I remember when Wood first brought you to Water Tribe," he mused. "You tried to escape, I tried to stop you, and you were so stubborn -"_

"And then Wood tackled and landed on top of you," Leaf added with an amused grin.

_Frost glared at her. "Because he was a clumsy fishbrained idiot."_

_"Was? He's not anymore?" Smokepaw interrupted from his curled position on the ground._

_The ghost of a smile played on Frost's lips. "No. He's not."_

_Suddenly, they heard a loud crash - and an indignant yowl as _someone_ went flying into a snowdrift. And then a deadly threat - "Wood, I'm gonna get you for that!"_

_Wood, covered in clumps of snow, skidded up to them and hid behind Frost. "He's after me!" he whimpered, then burst into giggles as Willow marched up to them._

_"Correction. _Most _of the time," Frost mused._

_However, Willow's threat was forgotten when he noticed Smokepaw's yellow eyes open and looking at him. _Open. _"Smokepaw! You're awake!"_

Wood turned to look at his friend. "Whoa, you are!" he gave him a friendly lick between the ears. "How're you feeling?"

"Give him his space!" Leaf snapped, shooing the two toms away. "He just woke up!"

_"Overprotective mate, much?" Willow whispered to Wood._

_"I am not!" Leaf roared._

_"Better run to safety before Smokepaw's mate eats us," Wood replied. "See you later, Smokepaw!" he called over his shoulder as the two of them ran away._

x

"She _scared _you away, Uncle Wood?" Owl mocked.

Wood assumed a defensive position. "She's a very scary cat when she wants to be!" he whined.

"But what happened with Smokepelt and Leaf?" Bracken persisted.

Wood sighed. "Ahh... I was getting to that. Smokepelt told me later what happened..."

x

_Frost waited a moment, then followed after Willow and Wood. He may have pretended to be cold and emotionless, but he could certainly sense emotions, and he could tell that Leaf felt something for Smokepaw that she needed to express. So he ducked away into the snowdrifts, back towards Water Tribe camp. He needed more cobwebs anyhow._

_Leaf lay down next to Smokepaw. The two of them stared up at the sky for awhile, in silence, before Leaf spoke._

_  
"Smokepaw... there's something... I..." Smokepaw turned to look at her, his yellow eyes bright as ever. Her heart fluttered. "I think I love you, Smokepaw."_

_Smokepaw sighed. "Thank you." He slowly closed his eyes._

_"That's... that's all?"_

_"What else do you want me to say?" Smokepaw's voice was laced with confusion and regret. "I... Leaf... I could never..."_

_He remembered Tawnypaw, the cat he'd loved with all his heart. He saw Tawnypaw so vibrantly in Leaf, in the way they walked, in the way they talked, in the way the stood up for what they believed in so passionately and so stubbornly. But he also remembered how Tawny_pelt_ had changed, how she'd abandoned him, and left him alone in the dust. He _knew _that Leaf would never do that to him, but... he couldn't help but see it happening. Just like he couldn't help the fondness he had for Leaf, yet he couldn't help not returning her love._

_In retrospect, he thought, it really didn't have that much to do with Tawnypelt, because how unfair would that be? He simply didn't requite Leaf's love. It was something he couldn't control, but wished he could, because he would have loved to have fallen in love again and broken his last ties to ShadowClan. But he couldn't._

_He tried to explain this to her, but the thoughts left his mouth in tattered, broken shards. She didn't understand, she didn't know why, but her heart was shattered. She had slowly come to love him, to care for him, to adore him, and now - he could just shrug her off like that? _

_He tried to explain that he wanted to be her friend, that he _liked _her, that she was a good cat, and he was fond of her. But the teary-eyed Leaf was beyond reason, and interrupted him midsentence by dashing away into the snowdrifts._

x

"Why didn't he love her?" Owl meowed. "I mean, if a she-cat ever loved me like that, I would definitely love her back."

"Love is a complicated thing, Owl," Wood explained distantly. "I honestly hope you never understand what Smokepelt and Leaf went through."

They sat in a forlorn silence for awhile, before Bracken spoke quietly. "So, how did they get to be friends again, Uncle Wood?"

Wood sighed. "That came with time and patience - and a _lot _of persuasion on my part." He groaned as he remembered how _much _persuasion. He'd been the go-between, and had spent hours screaming for them not to shoot the messenger. "But eventually, Leaf accepted his apologies - and Smokepelt hers. She put aside her feelings so they could go on being Tribe mates... she tried to fall in love again, but it just didn't work. Her heart will always lie with Smokepaw, I believe."

"Who'd she try and fall in love with?" Bracken inquired.

Wood chuckled. "Willow."

"Willow?!" The two kits exclaimed.

Wood laughed, his bright amber eyes shining again. "It was never serious. It was actually just funny. Willow, you know, didn't have a she-cat, and Leaf wanted desperately to fall in love..." picturing the look on his friend's face when Leaf had chased him during that moon of hilarity was enough to send Wood bursting into a fit of laughter. "But as you know, it never amounted to anything. Leaf was happy to become deputy - it gave her the respect she's always wanted, and let's face it, she was made for that sort of thing." Wood grinned widely. "She _loved _ordering us around back in the Ice Tribe prison den - and all the time, really. But in all seriousness, she's a responsible, kind cat, and she's made a great deputy, and will be a great leader one day."

"Hopefully soon," Bracken mused. "Pinesnow gets on my nerves."

Wood laughed. "She gets on everyone's nerves, but honestly, she's a great leader as well."

The lapsed into another silence, this one more companionable and comfortable than the last.

After a long while of simply gazing at the stars and into the cliffs, Wood spoke. "We should be getting back to camp now," he meowed. "You two have a big day tomorrow, and Frostroot will blame me if you don't get enough sleep."

Owl yawned. "One last question," Bracken meowed. "Why didn't you become deputy, Uncle Wood? I heard it was offered to you before Leaf."

Wood paused. "Well... I never wanted that kind of responsibility. It's the same reason Willow rejected the offer. The two of us prefer to be as carefree as possible, without the limits and restrictions of leadership..."

"But you'd make a great leader, Uncle Wood," mewed Owl.

Wood grinned. "Maybe I would. But you know what? I'm happy. And that's really all I wanted."

Owl sighed sleepily. "I wish I was just like you, Uncle Wood..."

"Yeah," Bracken meowed more intelligently. "Thanks for telling us all those stories."

"Any time, kits," Wood meowed fondly, licking each of them affectionately between the ears. He hopped down from the ledge. "Now seriously, Frostroot'll kill me if we don't get back soon. So let's go."

Bracken and Wood practically carried their half-asleep brother and nephew half-way back to camp, and then their uncle ended up supporting both of them the rest of the way. He loved his niece and nephew like his own kits, and gazed at each of them like a father as he led them to sleep in their den.

And then he made his way to his own den, where Tawny was already asleep. Wood curled up at her warm side, and she purred in her sleep.

And in his den, which he shared with his friends Willow and Frostroot, Smokepelt snored contentedly. He dreamt of Tawnypelt - but didn't feel the tug at his heart that used to come at the sight of her. Because he was here in this world, with his true, loyal friends and his new life with possibilities that stretched to the horizon and off into the sky.

For lack of a more complex word, he was happy.

And all was well.

**-**

**-**

**-**

**-**

**-**

Thousands of thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, and shared this story with me. I really couldn't have done this without your support and input. Special thanks to those who have been with me from the beginning till now: Shaded-Strike, Shadow of the Nights, and some of you early reviewers who stopped, but I know are still there. :) Thanks to those who started reading half-way through even towards the end, who were willing to do the catch up reading and follow us to this point. Thanks for all feedback; supportive, contructive, and just plain insane (you know who you are). You all rock.

And for those of you who've been there but haven't let me know... anonymous reviews are enabled. I would love it if you'd take a second to let me know you're there, even under a false name. In fact, I'll _give _you a false name. If you aren't the reviewer type, but want to let me know you've been reading, just put _adiofghaodirdoirhv _under the name _random person._ Or if you want to be creative, _Squishy Wood Plushie. _Or _blueberry pie. _Much appreciated. xP

I can't believe it's over either. In denial, I will post an extra chapter, with a character guide and guide to the Snowlands. It'll be fun, and might help some lingering confusion some of you may have.

Right now, though, I'm going to sleepaway camp. I'll be gone for a month. I have an agenda for when I get back, which includes the extras chapter, finishing _Roamingcrow and Jewelstep_, a short prequel to Falling Smoke, and my next story.

Thanks again to everyone. I hope you enjoyed our little adventure. And, as a side-note, I hope you got the Harry Potter reference at the end there. If you didn't... well, er, I'll explain. The words "All was well" hold the same significance in Harry Potter as they do here - as in _there are scars, but past is past, and now we're going on with our lives._ Copywrite J.K. Rowling.

Speaking of disclaimers, I don't think I've done one since the first chapter. So just so you all know: I do not own Warriors or any of the random things I've made subtle references to (Cookies to anyone who caught Bartimaeus Trilogy in chapter 38. You're either as insane as me or just incredibly perseptive). They are (unfortunately) property of Erin Hunter(s) and various other people.

Okay, I'm done with random things trying to make the story go on. :) I hope you had fun, because I know I did. See you in a month,

Moonstar


	42. Story Guide

Hi everyone, and welcome to the last segment of our story.

I've taken each chapter of the story, minus author's notes and review replies, and pasted the complete story into microsoft word, spell checked and all. If you would like a copy of this, let me know. Here are the story stats, with word and page counts from the clean version.

**Chapters:** 41

**Pages:** 263

Times New Roman, size 12, single space

**Words:** 111,226

**Reviews:** 587

**Hits:** 15,056

**Favs: **83

**Alerts: **44

Thanks to everyone who made all these things possible. I couldn't have done without you. No, that is not cheesy, though it _could_ use some ketchup.

**Character Guide**

Super minor characters, as in ones with two lines and one mention in the entire story, have been omitted.

**Pre-battle Allegiances**

_Water Tribe_

**Leader **- Whitewater - pure white she-cat with blank white eyes

**Second** - Mud - yellow eyed tom with tangled dark brown fur

**Herb Cat** - Yellowroot - dark gray and black she-cat with yellow eyes

_trainee_ - Frost

**Fighters**

Birch - black tom with gray tipped tail and light brown eyes

_trainee_ - Willow

Stream - blue-eyed gray tabby she-cat

_trainee_ - Leaf

Pine - brown-mix furred she-cat with emerald eyes

Aspen - dark ginger and brown furred she-cat with amber eyes

_trainee_ - Crystal

Cypress - gray tabby tom with amber eyes

And other minor and unmentioned fighters (River)

**Trainees**

Frost - gray furred tom with ice-blue eyes

Willow - pale brown furred tom with pale green eyes

Wood - small dusty brown furred tom with bright amber eyes

Leaf - ginger she-cat with white tipped paws and tail and deep green eyes

Crystal - pitch black tom with wide blue eyes

And other minor trainees (Fern, Yew, Nettle)

**Queens**

Amber - light brown furred she-cat with darker tail and amber eyes

Kits: Bracken, Owl, and Rowan

_Ice Tribe_

**Leader** - Stoneice - large, strong gray-furred tom with yellow eyes

**Second** - Dark - large (not as large as Stoneice) dark furred tom with dark blue eyes

_trainee_ - Tawny

**Herb Cat** - Duskroot - brown eyed tom with patches of black, brown, amber, white and gray

_trainee_ - Adder

**Fighters**

Flake - snowy white tom with warm amber eyes

Reed - lean black tom with amber eyes

Leopard - black, brown, and amber spotted she-cat

Raccoon - gray tom with tabby tail and dark fur around his green eyes

_trainee_ - Creek

Sand - sandy-furred she-cat

Oak - dark brown and black tom

Among other minor and unmentioned fighters (Spruce, Auburn, Night)

**Trainees**

Creek - calico she-cat with green eyes

Tawny - small tawny and white she-cat with green eyes

Adder - green-eyed tortoiseshell she-cat

Among other minor and unmentioned trainees

**The Rebels**

Dark, Leopard, Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek, Adder, Tawny, and Silver

_Cats outside Tribes_

Smokepaw - smoky gray tom with yellow eyes

Smoke - brown tabby with smoky gray eyes

Talonpaw - dark gray tom with amber-yellow eyes

Oakfur - small brown tom, Smokepaw's mentor

Tawnypaw/pelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Rowanclaw - dark ginger tom

**Post-battle Allegiances** nine moons later

(minor and unmentioned characters is a given)

_Water Tribe_

**Leader** - Pinesnow

**Deputy** - Leaf

**Herb Cat** - Frostroot

**Fighters**

Wood

_trainee_ - Owl

Willow

_trainee_ - Bracken

Tawny

Smokepaw

Yew

Crystal

**Trainees**

Bracken

Owl

**Queens**

Nettle

Mate: Crystal (aww)

Kits: Ice, Thistle

Fern

Kits: Sparrow, Umber, Twig

**Elders**

Cypress

_Ice Tribe_

**Leader** - Leopardsnow

**Deputy** - Reed

**Herb Cat** - Adderroot

**Fighters**

Flake

Sand

Oak

.

..

...

...

...

...

...

..

.

**OMAKE**

For the first time since their kits were born, Nettle and Fern left the nursery to go hunting. Willow was left in charge of the four and a half moon old kits, but... that didn't turn out too well.

_five minutes earlier_

"Hey Willow, you've got to see this!" Wood shouted. "There's a fish frozen into the ice in Freezepool!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Its face is all scrunchy! It's awesome!"

"Coming!"

_present_

Twig glanced around hesitantly. "Are we... alone?"

"No, fishbrain, there are fighters all over camp," Umber snorted.

"But we're... alone," Twig repeated. "In the nursery."

"And we could escape," Sparrow added brightly, his ears perking up. "We could run around in the snow -"

"And get in _huge _trouble with our moms," Thistle pointed out, her tail hanging between her legs. "I don't want mom to be mad at us."

Umber rolled his eyes. "She-cats," he grumbled. "Good thing Thistle's the only one, I don't know what we'd do with _two ­_of them -"

"Are you saying I'm not a she-cat?" All eyes turned to the small, yet oddly frightening voice coming from the other side of the den. The pitch black kit glared at them, his narrow icy eyes sparkling.

"Umm, Ice, it's not a compliment to be called a she-cat," Sparrow pointed out. "It's an insult, actually... she-cats are weak and stupid..."

Ice's teeth barred, his fur bristling with anger. "Don't you _dare _insult she-cats like that, or I swear I'll claw your eyes out and mush them into the snow."

Umber whistled. "Violent much? Seriously, Ice, don't be so defensive of she-cats. They shouldn't need us toms to look out for them."

"I'M NOT A TOM!" Ice roared. "I'M A SHE-CAT!"

"Now why would you pretend to be a she-cat?" Sparrow wondered aloud.

"I'M NOT PRETENDING!" He - no, she - leapt at Sparrow and started swiping wildly at his fur. The young kit howled in pain, and his brother Umber yowled in panic. Thistle joined in the panicked wailing, while Twig stood by, watching in awe.

Eventually the yowling and howling drew Crystal, who burst frantically into the nursery with concern spread across his face. "What's going on in here?" he demanded, as his wide crystal eyes caught sight of his daughter on top of Sparrow with a claw on his neck.

Ice didn't budge as she spoke. "They called me a tom," she accused.

Believing himself safe, Umber snickered belatedly at the newfound knowledge of his nurserymate's gender. "Hehe, little she-cat needs her mommy to stick up for her," he taunted.

Crystal whirled on the kit, whipping around so lightning quick he nearly broke his neck. "_What _did you say?"

"Aww, mommy's defensive of little Icey," Umber sing-songed. "Mommy and Icey, Mommy and Icey, nananana boo boo..." he danced in circles around Ice, who was still on top of Sparrow, enjoying the furious look on her face. What he didn't notice, to his misfortune, was that it mirrored the look on her father's.

"Ummmber, you might want to stop," Twig began quietly, combining the "umm" hesitation into his brother's name, but it was too late. Crystal sprang at Umber, easily tackling the kit and pinning him to the ground.

"Listen here, kit," he snarled furiously. "You should know better to insult and confuse the gender of your Tribemates. I am Ice's _father_, and _she _is my _daughter_. You got that?"

"But... but... you look like a mommy... and he - she - looks like a tom kit..."

Crystal closed his claw around the kit's throat. "I _said_, you _got _that?"

Umber nodded fearfully. "Y-yeah."

Crystal turned his ferocious glare on Sparrow. "That goes for you too."

"Y-yeah," Sparrow echoed.

Crystal stood up and dusted himself off. Ice joined him at the entrance to the nursery, wearing an identical smirk on an identical face, the only difference between the two being the size of their eyes and appeared gender. "Well," Crystal stated matter-of-factly, "I believe my work here is done."

Little did Crystal know, he had saved the dignity of more cats than himself and his daughter that day. Tiny little Twig came to realize that any cat can succeed and beat up Umber, regardless of appearance or size. And so the small, skinny kit began to plot his own climb to honor.

Twigsnow. Odd, but catchy. He liked it.

**The End**

_._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_.._

_._

_Falling Smoke Soundtrack_

I said there'd be one, didn't I?

Smokepaw:_Me Against the World, Simple Plan_

Smoke: _Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day_

Wood and Tawny: _If Everyone Cared, Nickelback_

Frost: _It Ends Tonight, All-American Rejects_

Leaf and Smokepaw: _It's Not Over, Chris Daughtry_

Dark: _I Won't Go, Three Doors Down_

Wood and Willow: _Don't Worry Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin_

Smokepaw and Wood: _You've Got a Friend in Me, Toy Story_

Rebels of Ice Tribe: _Move Along, All American Rejects_

If you don't know the song and are curious, look them up and read the lyrics. You'll see how they relate.

--

And take a peek at a new story, _**Incogitance**_. It is AU from the beginning of _Sunset_. Here is an except from the first chapter:

_She felt her tail entwining with his, soft gray fur against her fiery ginger, and looked into his eyes. The depths of his warm cerulean blue pools could have gone on forever. It reminded her of the sun-drown-place, with the endless expanse of deep blue water lapping at the soft sands and the bright sun shimmering on the horizon. _

_She didn't notice the irony._

I feel like I'll get hatemail for this. But we'll have _so _much fun.

Incogitance: (in-COG-it-ANTS) Thoughtlessness or acting without thought. No, I did not know what this meant before I titled the story. But I wanted to use a cool word, and turned to . :)

I strongly encourage you to go and try it. Readers and reviewers, as you now, are very much appreciated.

Speaking of which, I'd like to thank you all (again) for being so freaking awesome for all of _**Falling Smoke**_. To get the review count to 587 was something I never thought was possible. So thanks to everyone for helping to create this story and making a _very _happy author.

--Moonstar of FireClan


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